Our 2011 tree. |
I dread removing the ornaments, turning off and unwrapping the lights from the tree. I get positively melancholy while I pack the ornaments away; a few are from Gary's childhood trees and mine, one very homely homemade bird of felt is from our first tree together, 47 years ago. I talk to the ornaments, tell them I will miss them, that it will only be 11 months and we will visit again.
(Photo 1, probably the biggest around tree we've ever had. Had it up nearly 4 weeks, very few needles fell. However, when we took it out of the house, it was as if it had been freeze dried. Hunks of branch broke off and there was no weight to the tree. Dessicated, I guess is a good description.)
It's hard denuding this tree.This year, Chris put up the lights for me, Heather decorated the tree, I had run out of energy. She talked about some of the decorations as she placed them on the branches, "Oh, I remember this" or "How many years have you had this?" This was a special year tree.
When Pete was here, he saw a decoration- a chimney shaped music box on a shelf. He picked it up and said that when the time came he would like it. The music box represented Christmas from his past. I told him I had almost discarded the chimney several times, it was dilapidated and had seen better days (haven't we all I, think now). I am so glad I didn't throw it away. It would have been a memory lost for him.
...Well, it's done... the tree has been carried to the burn pile in the yard. I'll rearrange the furniture and then box up the decorations while we watch the Giant's game this afternoon. Tomorrow I'll do the house decorations and put everything in the spare bedroom awaiting the move to the attic.
It is a new year and I am over my sadness. January holds promise- and a good house cleaning and decluttering will help. Sun is pouring in the window and I think I will go enjoy it.
Thanks for visiting.
1 comment:
Oh, my gosh, you made me want to slit my wrists!! i could just feel your pain and depression oozing through the computer screen. Of course, it didn't help that I was feeling the same way about my tree and decorations. I am really trying to get rid of some of the things I haven't put out in a few years. Now that I read your piece about Peter and the chimney decoration, I am afraid to get rid of anything! from Alison
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