Monday, December 26, 2011

Christmas Aftermath.........

I worked really hard today to clean up the house from the Christmas disaster. We filled a huge bag with wrapping paper trash and there were piles of presents everywhere. I helpfully put them into boxes for the kids to take up to their rooms. It was hard, but I resisted the urge to suddenly and swiftly rid my house of all its Christmas trappings and start fresh. I actually have some New Year's decorations (silver sequined stockings, for instance. I know, who gets stockings on New Year's? But they have this Elvis/Vegas feel to them and they sparkle. Like the promise of a New Year. Or something like that).

Since I felt guilty sweeping Christmas out of the house so soon, I organized our movies and video games. I do this frequently, but then they get mixed up again and I find empty cases and DVDs with no cases. Argh! It makes me crazy. I selected a tall pile of DVDs to pass on to someone else and the kids vetoed half my choices. But I still managed to whittle the pile down and already I've found five of them new homes. I'm not one to watch movies over and over. I'd be fine just watching it once and then passing it along. Like books. There aren't too many I need to hang on to. I read them and pass them on to someone else. Recycling at its best! Plus I have a stack of movies I anticipate watching during the rest of the break. It's a VERY optimistic pile (20?), but why not go big?

And since it's "boxing day" I also recycled some boxes. HAHA!

My 16-year-old slept till 3 p.m. How can anyone even DO that? I mean, I went to bed at 1:30 a.m. and still got up at 6. Sure, I lay in bed till 11:30 or so, and I tried to doze, but I was pretty much up for the day. And now it's nearly 11 p.m. and I'm tired, but not like I'm going to pass out. HOW does one sleep till 3 p.m.? I think this is a record for my family. Have you ever slept that long? Do you have a kid who's done that?

But I digress. When do YOU get rid of Christmas? I like to keep everything up till the New Year. If we're hosting a party, I might put a few things away and put up some New Year's decor, but mostly I just leave everything up till the day before life returns to reality and we all go forth in fresh anticipation of a new start. And it's so sad when everything is put away. The house seems so vast and empty. January needs a theme. Something optimistic and fun. With lots of color. Ideas?

1 comment:

Mimi/Papa said...

The theme for January should be your mom's birthday, not to mention Hayden and Harrison's birthdays!! We three are "full" of color and are party animals, you know that!! I always thought instead of celebrating Martin Luther King with a special day, we should make it a family tradition to make Jan. 25 (plus the 9th and 14th) as a national family tribute! LOL We are all available for any speeches that you, as our family, would want to hear. We are available for hire....check with our manager, Kyle Patton! hahahhahahaha Love you!!