I love Christmas. I love decorating for Christmas. I love watching the lights on my tree at night. I love the magic and miracle of the Christmas season. That said, once Christmas is over, my decorations begin to feel annoying. My living room feels cluttered with a tree. The mesmerizing tree lights do not mesmerize me anymore. I don’t feel the “magic” of the season anymore. All the Christmas “stuff” feels like clutter. I can’t think. I feel like my house is messy. I want to put it away and move onto other things.

I feel a little guilty by this. Shouldn’t I feel “Christmasy” after Dec 25? Does it mean that I don’t appreciate that Jesus was born on Christmas day? If I really think about it, Christmas has nothing to do with all the decorations, but the heart. So perhaps, it’s not that bad that my once loved decorations turn into mind clutter? I don’t know. I wish I could enjoy my decorations for one more day or week. After all, Christmas comes but just once a year. But, I’m ready to move on to the next thing – mainly thinking about the new year and the blessings it holds.

With that said, I do try to wait until Dec 31 before I take down my tree. It’s such a relief once everything is packed away. My mind is fresh for the new year.