Posted on 18 Comments

I did it, I took down Christmas

But it was too early and now I'm regretting it. Doesn't help that today is dark and rainy and dreary, so sad! I made a note on my list of next Christmas reminders to myself… "it doesn't take that long to dismantle Christmas, don't jump the gun"

I added a lot to that list this year. When I'm on facebook I marvel at how "put together" everyone's holidays seem. I would have thought by 8 and 4 that I'd have this down. But I think I'm getting close. Just putting on the finishing touches… order enough Christmas cards, buy tickets to Nutcracker super early, make a breakfast casserole for Christmas morning, when is best day to go to museum, stuff like that.

I wish New Years had decorations.

18 thoughts on “I did it, I took down Christmas

  1. sounds like an excuse to MAKE New Years decorations to me! snowflake garlands? Or glittery circles strung together and hung from the ceiling? Anything in blue or silver will do. Even popcorn strings on your trees outside aren’t inherently “Christmas.” I think part of the dreariness you describe is the lack of snow–decorate with something sparkly to make up for it!

  2. Why can’t it?! Especially with little people! I highly approve of the idea of sparkly glittery garlands…or fringey tissue garlands…or snowflakes! Or gold and pink polka dot garlands! Oooh, the possibilities!

  3. Put the twinkly lights back up – it’s them that I miss when the decorations come down.

  4. I can’t bring myself to taking down ours. Mostly because I want to keep Christmas up, but partly because I don’t want to have to organize the storage room (which really needs to be done…).
    Seriously- January looks so bare right up against December. We have some snowmen and some snowflakes that stay up, but other than that, there’s just not much to say “Hello, New Year! Let’s rock it out!”
    I feel a brainstorming (and pinterest stalking) coming on…

  5. Don’t be sad, you can certainly have decorations for New Year’s. Garlands are fun, and balloons! The kids love them. You are so creative, you will think of something! All the best in 2012!

  6. Giant 3-d snowflakes are easy to make and a bunch of them would make your house look so cheery: http://www.instructables.com/id/3-D-snowflake-of-awesomeness/ (The ones they show are in colors, but I just used plain white printer paper and they’re really striking). The 8-yr old could help, too. And also, my kids are 12, 9 and 2 and I think that every year, Christmas is a little different. We didn’t even get half of our decorations up this year – it’s a little disappointing to me (not sure anyone else noticed as much), but also it was what our family could do this year and we still had a cozy, lovely time. The kids have been happy, and my husband and I have felt blessed. You do what you need to at the time, right? Happy New Year to you! Thanks for sharing your creativity with us!

  7. But there are! I grew up in Europe and we always had Amanita mushrooms, lady bugs, chimney sweeps, four-leaf clover, lucky pennies and little pink pigs around the house and the dinner table for New Years Eve. They are all lucky charms and who can’t use a little bit of luck? (Google “Marzipan Pig” and you’ll see what I am talking about.) Happy 2012 and good luck!

  8. eeep I’m taking my decorations down on Monday, always sad. I use it as an excuse to fill the house with colourful flowers and start ushering in spring 🙂

  9. Here’s what I do: Christmas time, put up all the Christmas and wintery decorations. After Christmas, take down Christmas specific decorations but leave up anything that is just wintery. White paper chains hung like garland, snowflakes, winter village, snowmen, stuff like that. I leave it all up until springtime, because it’s too depressing to face winter without any extra pretty things around the house. In February I add a few things with hearts to the mix, because the snowflake/wintery/heart combo totally works for Valentines day. Then sometime in early March it all comes down and I can face the world without decorations because Spring is on its way. Maybe you could try a similar schedule?

  10. On the bright side, you can start 2012 without worrying about last year’s decorations. I took all of mine down too and I’m relieved that on New Year’s Day I can simply enjoy the holiday with my family instead of having to put stuff away. As a teacher putting away decorations the day before I return to work is too much.

  11. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Other people’s holidays only seem perfect. I heard Ira Glass say, on This American Life, “Christmas is like a play where we all get the same props and expect everyone’s to turn out exactly the same”
    So glad to hear that there are others who like leaving the decorations up. We always leave them up through Jan. 6 because the 12 days of Christmas stretch from Dec.25-Jan.6 but one year we hung homemade snowflakes with fishing line from the ceiling in my son’s room. It was so cheery we left it up until Valentines.

  12. Who days new year can’t have decs, go on get making some pom pom garlands in lovely fresh colours just for new year x

  13. Welcome to the year of the dragon! Endless possibilities for new year’s decorations. 🙂

  14. Wow, four bins? I’m impressed! I can’t wait to take everything down.
    – Sarah
    http://agirlintransit.blogspot.com

  15. I always hate taking down all the Christmas decorations, the house just doesn’t look the same.

  16. putting up ours today…and leaving one string of lights in a swag over our mirror in the entry just for some daily glitter and glow. i am ready to put things back to normal early this year, but figure one set of lights will make up for it. at least for me. good idea making a list of reminders for next year! may steal that one.

  17. I put Christmas away yesterday…my 3 year old was sad, so was i!! We were late to Christmas Eve dinner because of the last minute details…I thought I had it down, and I’m not working right now! It just never ends…it’s nice to have some time to relax now!

  18. Traditionally in Europe, Christmas decorations didn’t go up until Christmas Eve, and were taken down on Epiphany, January 6. My grandmother used to say that it was bad luck to have the decorations up after January 6 – but it is normal to have the Christmas decorations up over New Year.
    From observation, Americans seem to put their Christmas decorations up for Thanksgiving, and take them down a few days after Christmas….

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