When Dear Son visits my house after Christmas and sees the decorations still up, he always says, "You're living in the past, woman!" So true. But gosh, it took a long time to put up, and it's no fun to take it all down. The older I get, the longer and steeper the stairs seem as I haul bins up and down one by one. I might start today, I might not. When I was little, we never took our Christmas trimmings down until after the Epiphany on January 6th. Nowadays, in Denver we get a pass that lasts until the annual National Western Stock Show is over, sometime near the end of January. Come to think of it, maybe I'll start today. Here's what I'm taking down.
The tree, of course. Why do I keep adding ornaments? I have 40 years worth.
The lighted wreath in the window. I love this cozy spot. But I've learned not to rest my head on the pillow with the chunky glass rhinestones. Ouch.
Hmm, the mantel. I'm not actually taking this down since the lights stay up all year. I just don't turn them on. I might take the snowy bough out of the canoe since it will look weird there when it's 95 degrees outside.
The Garden Santa is busy working below the trees in my bird hallway.
He carries a topiary, a hoe, and a shovel. And of course is wearing the approved Garden Santa straw hat.
There are a few nests and eggs for him to tend to also.
Oh yes, the Christmas Village. My niece says this is Mesa Verde style. I think she's right. Some years I put a few houses under the tree but this year it's the cliff version, with a mountain stream running below.
Dining room table with reindeer and glittery cones. I love these guys with their wreath necklaces.
This is the forest tree in the kitchen. It's full of birds, acorns, pinecones, and icicles. Also a couple of bears thrown in - it is the forest, after all.
I like to decorate the whole house but this year I ran out of energy. The farthest I got from the main living areas was the end of the hallway. Sorry, bathroom and bedrooms.
I almost forgot that I hung these peacock glass balls from the chandelier. I was glad the thread didn't break and drop the balls in someone's cup of cocoa.
This wreath is all silver glittery stuff . At least it's close to the stairs. I might be able to just pitch it over the railing and into the bin below. I think I'd better get started so I don't end up living in the past.
8 comments:
What beautiful decorations! I never take mine down until after the first of the year either. This year I actually got them up the week after Thanksgiving so I got to enjoy them stress free in December. I'm going to try and do that every year from this point forward.
You do have a lot of beautiful decorations so why not enjoy them for a long time? The tree will stay up until January 6th here. Since we're having unusually cold weather I like having the glow of Christmas lights.
Maybe you should throw a traditional Twelfth Night party and for the practical joke element... don't invite your son!
Happy New Year, Lost Roses!
Annie at the Transplantable Rose
As someone who doesn't really celebrate Christmas, I always admire and get all excited seeing other people's Christmas decorations. I wouldn't go all out like that, but I do love seeing people who get into the spirit of it.
a belated Happy New Year!
Your home looks perfectly lovely. I can understand your reluctance to take down your decor. It is a job to install and why not enjoy it as long as you want?? Being stuck inside all winter makes one crave the light and greens of the out of doors so this fills the bill. Happy New Year.
Your home looks so lovely and lovingly decorated!
Oh my. I just saw this in July and could only think, that's a lot of stuff and a lot of work. This after a long series of FB posts I've been engaged in about getting rid of stuff. Hope it's all down and put away by now.
Gosh, what amazing decorations! In Scotland we never took the decorations down till twelfth night, or epiphany as you say, but then we didn't put them up till - maybe Christmas eve, I forget. Our decorations were a special kind of paper streamer on the ceiling and a small christmas tree though! Those paper decorations are probably collectors' items now! Thanks for sharing your lovely home - the village is very comforting to look at.
Thanks for all your comments! Yes I do kind of go into Christmas overload and the downside of that is getting it all put away. If I'm lucky the village retires to the basement around July!
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