So . . . it’s really over?

I’ve attempted to put away the Christmas decorations all week. This is the only week of the year I question why I put up so many decorations. I have to admit, I get a little bummed taking them down because I love the ambiance of our little home at Christmas – the smells, the music, the lights. I say to myself in disbelief, “Is it really over?” When everyone else is fleshing out their New Year’s Resolutions, I’m still knee deep in bubble wrap, packing tape & Rubbermaid containers. It seriously looked like an obstacle course of boxes this week. I have no idea how we didn’t trip over them. It’s a miracle!


This is one of the decorations it’s hard to put away. Chris’ Grandma Graf made these “pasta” angels. It takes an incredibly talented (and patient) individual to craft these masterpieces. I always want to belt out “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” when I see them. They make me smile.

Anyway, it seems our little girl is also experiencing a bit of disbelief that Christmas is over. For several nights, she ran to the sofa to do her Advent devotional. She didn’t know why I wasn’t playing Christmas music (all day), and she was definitely perplexed as to why the “ormanents” were missing (well, why they were spread all over the coffee table). She’d say, “Where the ormanents go?”

Earlier this week, I was preparing breakfast when I began to wonder why it was so quiet (this normally means Alexa’s exercising her curiousity). I walked around the corner and discovered Lil’ A putting her “ormanents” back on the tree. She said “Alexa’s ormanents here . . . on the tree.” It was so precious.

 
Yep, I have to agree with Alexa. Her ornaments needed to go right there – perfect.

The decorations were officially hauled up the attic ladder this evening to spend another 300ish days in the darkness until they are unveiled again. I haven’t put the “normal” decorations back up (you know a girl’s gotta dust & vacuum before that can happen). That will be my goal for next week – to put some flare back into the rooms that now feel cold and bare. I truly can’t believe the holiday season has come and gone but I am looking forward to a bright 2012 (even though Alexa and I are still singing Christmas songs together). New Year – here we come!