January Doldrums

It had to happen and this year I am later than usual, but Christmas has to start to come down at my house.  It’s a big job to dismantle the glitter, the sparkle and shine, the bows and the garland, the wreaths and the lights.  I started with the house decorations, as opposed to the tree since Carter told me not to go up the ladder when no one else was home to call 911 in case I fall as I use the kitchen tongs to reach the ornaments at the fourteen-foot level.

I went to the attic this morning and began bringing down the battalion of plastic crates that make up my Christmas storage brigade.  I had Russ purchase five new tubs to store my new decoration of 2012, a snow village under glass that filled my living room coffee table.  It was the first thing to be packed with five old towels I assigned to the duty of protecting my fragile creations.

Taking Christmas down is depressing.  There are no carols cheerily playing throughout the house like when the decorations go up.  There is no anticipation of parties to come and friends to share in the splash of Christmas decorations.  The house begins to look bare without boxwoods and holly covering the mantle.  All the marks of the walls and scuffs on the floors show and I have that feeling like I need to redecorate and spruce things up, but just don’t have the energy to do it.

I know that the days are getting longer, Big Weather told me so this morning on the news, the sun was rising one minute earlier today.  One minute more of sunlight is not enough to overcome the sadness of January 5^th.

It will take me another day to get everything done and Russ and Carter will have to carry all the crates back to the attic.  Russ and I will do our best to stay married as we disassemble the tree and stuff it in the seven grand piano sized bags it lives in during its off-season.

It is easy to see why people gain weight in the winter.  What is there to brighten our spirits when the house is less glittery and the darkness takes over the house at 4:00?  People are holed-up in their homes having been partied out by the holiday season, but this is exactly when we all need to go out and be together to keep our minds off the dullness at home.

So this afternoon I am going to stop all this packing and cleaning and am going to go watch not just the 8^th grade girls basketball game, but the boys too!  Why not?  Being with friends and cheering on kids is the best way to stave-off post holiday blues.  Sweeping up crystal snow can wait.