Twinkling lights or a festive bow
Chilly nights and maybe snow,
Christmas shopping came and went
All the money has been spent.
Pull the boxes from the shelf
Say “good-bye” to Santa’s elf,
Roll up your sleeves and sing a tune
Before you know it…
We’ll be in June!
Please understand, I love the sights, sounds and spiritual Gift of Christmas, but when that last present is opened, before the wrinkled wrapping paper hits the floor, I am plotting how to clean everything up! I am not talking about just the mess… decorations, lights, tree…EVERYTHING!
As the firstborn child of a very meticulous, super-organized, working mother I am bound to receive some of her traits. Now she wasn’t crazy enough to put all the decorations away on Christmas Day, but she had all the clothing neatly folded, toys strategically displayed, and practically rewrapped each gift to put back under the tree.
Well, I went a little overboard this year at our house. I was almost at the threshold of our daughter’s bedroom when my husband says, “What are you doing? Where are all the gifts?”…you see I had already washed, dried, and folded the kids’ new clothes ready to put them away! In his sweetest, almost sappy, school boy voice he said, “Can we put some stuff back under the tree? It looks so bare.”
Apparently in my attempt to be the first woman to have her house back in order before 2010, I forgot that some …ok… maybe all… of my family was still enjoying the festivities of Christmas Day. So, with disappointment and yes a little embarrassment for trying to speed through the day, I neatly folded the clothing and strategically displayed the toys…hmm? Sound familiar?!
Now, the reasons for my post today is to show you how I prepare my Christmas decorations, gift wrap, and other holiday items for hibernation in my attic. This year the decorating was slim and the gift wrap easy and simple, so cleaning up a few days after Christmas was painless and quick!
First, I made labels to identify what is inside each box…not a new concept for most of us. (Don’t mind the “teacher-y” look of my labels).
Next, I smoothed out and folded tissue paper and gift bags to reuse for next year, (an easy way to be green).
Then, all the ornaments are tucked into boxes to snuggle until needed again.
Finally, the lights….ugh…the lights…I still have not found the best way to store these monstrosities! However, here they sit in their reckless piles. Close the lid, quick!
With the confidence and satisfaction of Meryl Streep and the awkwardness, yet determination of Ann Hathaway in “The Devil Wears Prada” I got the job done!
