The Post-Christmas disaster

That's what my house is. It's in the after-Christmas, garbage everywhere, dirty state. Decorations need to come down, laundry needs to be caught up on (we already know that's my favorite thing to do(Please read my Achilles heel)), and floors need to be cleaned after all the traffic of Christmas merriment. The gifts are scattered throughout the house if various states of use. The table is two feet deep in toys, oranges and construction paper. All the garbage that didn't fit in the garbage can is carefully stacked on the counter and by the door and patiently waiting for an empty bin to fill up. The Christmas tree looks bare without presents underneath and the cats think the decorations are their new chew toys. My bedroom is filled with hangers, tags, tape and leftover wrapping paper. The evidence of a night filled with wrapping presents.

I think I spend as much time gearing down from Christmas as I do gearing up. My efforts to do this in a timely manner are greatly hampered by my five children who spend much of their time undoing all of my progress. After I get the disaster under control, I will undecorate. That won't happen until after the New Year. Then my house will feel naked. It's been decorated since Halloween and I don't really decorate for any other holiday. (Although Target is already ready for Valentine's day!)

I love the Post-Christmas disaster for the same reasons that I hate it. It means Christmas is over. For me the longest part of winter starts now. There's no major holiday to gear up for. (No, Valentine's day doesn't count!) And spring is a long ways off. But I'll begin to dig out of the mess and hope for an early spring!