Memories in Boxes

Our tradition is to take down the Christmas tree on New Year's Day.

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This year we put it off because we held our family party on New Year's Day and then Karla's family spent 3 days with us.

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Then Sarah, Jacob, and I were sick as dogs with flu (even Diego threw up!) before Karla's family--also sick--even drove away.

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It took more than a week for me to get my strength back, and what energy I did have seemed better spent on surviving work each day.

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I'm embarrassed to admit it, but we FINALLY took our Christmas tree and decorations down this Saturday, Jan. 17th, 23 whole days after Christmas was over!

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It's not as exciting to remove decorations as it is to put them up, but I do enjoy the last chance to revel in the memories evoked by each item as we box it up for another year.

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Each ornament has a story. Many were handmade by my children in school or church. Several were gifts from loved ones, some no longer with us. A few commemorate special events, like "Baby's First Christmas" and "Our First Christmas Together." (Yes, I still have that one; it's a happy memory.)

I buy dated Hallmark ornaments for my kids each Christmas. After the first five "Baby's 1st, 2nd, 3rd..." ornaments, I choose something to represent the child at that age.

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Sarah loves the bunny ballerina from her year of ballet lessons. The fisherman Santa reminds Jacob of fishing with his dad. Dylan's are snowmen doing what he likes to do--this year it's grilling!

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I will continue this tradition until my kids reach age 21. When they move out, they'll have at least 22 nice ornaments packed with memories to take with them for their own family Christmases. I suspect that someday I'll begin a similar tradition for my grandchildren! (Sarah's ornaments as of 2005 are pictured above.)

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Last of all, I remove all of this year's Christmas cards from my laundry room door. I save it for last because they add such a festive feel to my kitchen. I'd leave them up all year, but then they'd be too worn out to save and enjoy in years to come.

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I do have scrap books full of all my old cards, as far back as my 12th birthday. It's fun to see how card styles change over the decades!

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Now our Christmas decorations are safely boxed away and stored until the holidays return many months from now. I will miss them, but in this case it is true that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Good-bye old friends! See you in December!