Almost daily diary!

Sunday, January 04, 2009

Taking down the tree.

There is great satisfaction in clearing up after Christmas (for me anyway), the tree has been put outside this morning, the poor tortured thing was well past it's best and there is a mild sense of relief at the return to normality. Oh I've been itching to tidy up for days! The decorations are all packed away in their various boxes, each set has its own box. There is a method in the packing away, is that odd?!

However the children and their friends are sprawled across the floor and haven't even noticed that the tree has gone or that I am hovering around them. They are up for eviction when I finish this post!

Yesterday was spent with some very close friends. Just the children and I. We ate and walked, came home with numb feet and noses, the children played a lot and then we ate again! The company of close and caring friends is such a good feeling. It was the almost the nicest part of my Christmas holiday, and so clearing up today seems a fitting end to the festive period.


PS, I couldn't stand the green background any longer, so I'm back to my restful sea blue, it's a bit like clearing up after Christmas, I need some things to return to normal!

27 comments:

XXYXX said...

Thanks Suburbia, that green background was a bit eye-popping.

Hulla's Christmas decorations are so un-Christmassy we've decided to keep them, and restyle them club-chill down living room decorations - except for the Barbie on a door hook surrounded by Ivy. That has to go.

Feeling sad that I have to get back into my routine tomorrow. It has been a lovely holiday.

Letty - A Little Girl With A Curl said...

oooooooooooooh! So glad I am not alone in this! Actually I could take the whole blooming thing down, decorations, cards and all just after boxing day. But I have to be restrained.

However, all my decs and tree have gone today. Isn't it the best feeling in the world to get back to normal?

How lovely Christmas seems when it starts to arrive, and how wonderful once it is all over.

And I much prefer your calming background!

Sorry I have been remiss in commenting but I had computer probs. Internet was playing up.

Happy New Year Suburbia!

Thanks for looking in!

love and light,
Letty ;0)

xxxxxx ps we have just seen the last of our Sprogs back to their normal lives and as much as I love them, again, back to normal!!

Working Mum said...

Yes, we put all our decorations and trees away today. I too, was itching to clean up. Two cans of Mr Sheen and one hoover bag later and I can rest with my laptop knowing the house is in order again.

Saz said...

its only been two weeks and l'm so glad to get it down....and the tree!!

the kids and Larry think the room looks sad and bereft without it, I think there is less to clean!!

Salute said...

Glad to read this because it inspired me to finish boxing Christmas decorations and get back to normal. Hope you and family had a lovely holiday.

Lakeland Jo said...

I agree with you. Its great to get back to normal again, and to have the place looking tidy and calm. All ours were done today. Now chilling with some tea and left over Christmas cake and tea. The word verification is the word LAZING. How apt.

Kitty said...

I must confess I took mine down last week, when the kids were at their dad's. They didn't even notice, when they got back, that the tree was gone. No.2 just suddenly realised that he'd got more room for his Wii-ing.

I'm looking forward to clearing up the rest of it later - I never did quite get 'into' it this time.

x

Jennysmith said...

aw, i was getting quite attached to that green background.

Oh i've been itching to tidy some of that xmas toot away. Its the cards that drive me the maddest!

No, my kids haven't noticed either.
Husband at work and kids back at school tomorrow - hooray!!! xxxx

Akelamalu said...

I took my tree and decs down on Friday - just had to get tidy again! All my decs are put away in separate labeled boxes for each room - that's the only way I can remember what goes where come next Christmas! :)

Anonymous said...

As Bobo says, un-festive decorations are the way forward, then they neither need to be taken up or down. They only went up on Christmas day anyway, right after our non trad Christmas lunch.

I am glad you have a perky friend day yesterday, S. Sounds just what you needed.

xx

swilek said...

I never like taking down the Christmas decorations..I like prolonging it..maybe because I know a long winter is still ahead here in cold Canada so it is a bit depressing without anymore winter celebrations!!!

Glad you were able to spend time with your close friends! It is precious!!

Tim Atkinson said...

Oh, shame! We're keeping ours up 'till Charlie's birthday on the 13th - well past twelfth night, unless you go by the Orthodox calendar, in which case January 6th is Christmas day!

Barbara said...

My holiday time ended on Friday when I went back to work and my son took the tree down, it all looks so bare now. Sounds like you had a good end to the holiday with close friends. It was cold yesterday wasn't it, but the sunshine was lovely.

Lane Mathias said...

Just popping by to say hi as we see each other around such a lot:-)

Packed up all my decs too and squashed them back in the loft. And you're right, there is method in the packing. I still pack them in the boxes which contained my eldest's first Christmas toys (if that makes sense).

Rose said...

I hate to admit it, but I still have some decorations up! Taking them all down seems depressing to me--the holidays are over and it's back to the usual routine. I guess it's all a matter of perspective, isn't it? I did leave my big tree up in the family room in the basement--I decided I wanted to enjoy it a little longer, and since no one else around here helps tidy up, it's my choice!

Expat mum said...

Oh god, guilt, guilt, guilt. We came back from a two week holiday/vacation last night and I have been slogging all day. I took down one tiny tree but can't even face the big one. It will have to wait till next weekend. And then my sister tells me it'll be unlucky if I don't take it down before the 6th. Does throwing it out the window count?

Eternal Worrier said...

So you’re not one of those people who leaves the tree up till early February, Lol. What about those folks who cover the outside of the house with lights! That must be such a drag to take down on a cold January day. Maybe it seems like a good idea at the time?

Brett said...

Thanks for the award I'll get round to putting it on this week, hope things are ok, not exactly the best time of year is it.

Anonymous said...

No tree or decs for Jenny and I this year as we were sunning ourselves in Oztralia. Normally we have a tiny artificial tree which we've had for over 20 years and it still looks brand-new! Much simpler than the real trees with all their wretched needles dropping everywhere. And somehow ending up in every corner of the house.

Mean Mom said...

Sorry I've been missing for a while - partly due to flu and partly to flu and catering for 10 people, for a few days, over New Year. Yes, it was tough!

Glad to read that some of your holiday has been enjoyable, anyway. My son was most upset when I asked him to help me to take down the Christmas decorations, yesterday. He helped me with great reluctance and lots of complaining. He's only 19, afterall.

Anonymous said...

We took our's down on Sat (3rd) which is two days later than normal. I love them when they first go up but as soon as New Year is over then I can't wait to put them away! It seemed to take twice as long to put them all away, but I, for a change, managed to thorw out some truly tacky cheap ones this year instead of putting them away and moaning about them the next year!

I like the blue background too.

Dori said...

My usual birthday present to myself is taking down the tree (2 days after Christmas). So far no one has objected to this! This year it stayed up an extra day simply because my entire family was invading and bringing food!

I too like this background. The other seemed far, far too cheerful and bright! Lovely, but exhausting!

cheshire wife said...

I took our decs down on the 2nd in about half the time that they took to put up. Now all neatly packed away in their boxes in the loft until later this year.And I suppose that it will seem like no time at all before we are putting them up again.

Wanderlust Scarlett said...

Well and I see it's stopped snowing here too!

I haven't put my Christmas things away yet... it's *SO* pretty, I just can't yet. I keep inviting friends over to enjoy it with me.
They are good sports.

It does need to come down soon though, and yes... everything neatly in it's original packaging... of course!


Scarlett & Viaggiatore

Maggie May said...

Good to see all the Christmas stuff packed away. Still need to get into some *in depth* clearing up. It is so blimmen cold!

French Fancy... said...

i like the blue better

Confession time - we couldn't be bothered to hang any decs this year. We made do with one Bonne année banner and that was it.

Jon M said...

Clearing Christmas is nice in a way but I wish it was a bit longer sometimes!