It’s time, people.\u00a0 It’s time to put Christmas, 2012, away.\u00a0 I hate to admit it – or go through the\u00a0rigorous endeavors\u00a0of having to do it – but it must be done.<\/p>\n
Whichever room I happen to be in at the moment is where I shall begin.\u00a0 The Christmas quilt is first to be laundered, folded and packed away in an air tight, zippered bag.\u00a0\u00a0Decorative Christmas pillows go through the same process.<\/p>\n
Hm.\u00a0 Living room.\u00a0 Stockings\u00a0come away from the mantel first, that’s easy.\u00a0 Added to the Christmas tree skirt,\u00a0hat, and stockings with their personal decorative hangers, they await packing in a pile on the floor.\u00a0 Decorative kitchen and bath hand towels\u00a0will be an addition after being used to wipe down kitchen counters, refrigerator, dining room table and such.\u00a0 Heck, they make good cleaning cloths!\u00a0 With the hot pan holders, cloth napkins and tablecloths, linens become one in the same box.\u00a0 Add a few moth balls, and I’m happy.<\/p>\n
The trees.\u00a0 There are two of these – one inside, one out.\u00a0 Ugh.\u00a0\u00a0This task takes more than a few days.\u00a0 The outside tree\u00a0can wait a few more days.\u00a0 After all,\u00a0I did a beautiful job decorating it if I say so myself.\u00a0 My neighbors\u00a0remain in awe.\u00a0 And I rather like it myself, so it can stay decorated a little longer.\u00a0 Truly, I do not look forward to dragging out the step stool to accomplish this task.\u00a0\u00a0A poignant\u00a0blue spruce, planted in April of 2005, is now a beautiful and healthy six feet tall on our property’s edge.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Part of this task involves\u00a0removing\u00a0multiples of red ribbons, bows, 6″ and 8″ glass bulbs, white and gold beaded garland and tinsel.\u00a0 Well, maybe the tinsel can remain to blow in the wind.\u00a0 It sparkles nicely.<\/p>\n
The four window wreaths can wait a little longer along with the colorful display of roof lights.\u00a0 The lights\u00a0don’t blink, thank goodness.\u00a0 Blinking lights\u00a0are tortuous!<\/p>\n
The inside tree\u00a0becomes undressed a little at a time in passing.\u00a0 A novel bulb here, a noel bell there,\u00a0etc., will be removed – sooner or later.\u00a0 Their Christmas box stands in the hall awaiting all members.\u00a0 The ‘precious’ artifacts\u00a0from decades past will remain until the very last.<\/p>\n
For instance, the hand blown and painted glass balls from Poland\u00a0are given special attention due to their delicate nature.\u00a0 Or the ever-so-delicate penguin ornament, a gift from a precious friend; the ever-so-delicate Hawaiian shirt ornaments, remembrance of a trip to Hawaii; in addition to the crystal chimes in memory of\u00a0our visit to the\u00a0Westwood Crystal Manufacturing Plant in Ireland.\u00a0 Ah, such glory!\u00a0 Not only do they require more attentive packing and sealing, but they are most joyous\u00a0– personal.<\/p>\n
Included in this protective box are the most favorite and special ones – you know, the ones that your kids made in grade school.\u00a0\u00a0They will hibernate with the\u00a0ones from Europe those long years ago.\u00a0 Mm mm, good memories.<\/p>\n
After laundering with other items, the tree skirt is folded and added to the Christmas linen box, so labeled.\u00a0\u00a0The porcelain, multi-character nativity and its scenery needs extra loving care.\u00a0 Each piece of fifteen symbolic reputations are ever-so-carefully wrapped in cloth, secured with packing tape, placed in separate styrofoam containers, laid in a plastic padded and sealed box.\u00a0 ‘Rubbermaid’ came in handy for this project and is easily recognized in blue.<\/p>\n
Once the packing boxes are tightly closed with refreshed labels, they are placed one atop the other, awaiting\u00a0outdoor shed placement.<\/p>\n
Ah, I’m tired now.\u00a0 Just thinking and planning all this as I share it with you means another 2012 goal has been accomplished!\u00a0 Now, off to getting it done…<\/p>\n
Happy\u00a02013!<\/p>\n
A. K. Buckroth<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It’s time, people.\u00a0 It’s time to put Christmas, 2012, away.\u00a0 I hate to admit it – or go through the\u00a0rigorous endeavors\u00a0of having to do it – but it must be done. Whichever room I happen to be in at the … Continue reading