That’s the Spirit

If you go by the decorations in our house (like the number of Christmas trees) — Christmas usually ends sometime between George Washington’s Birthday and Easter. But something strange is happening this year. Today is January 10th and a full 25% of our Christmas trees (1 of 4) has vanished!! I’m thinking there may be a grinch or something loose in the neighborhood.

This year, like most recent years, Christmas came and went almost in the blink of an eye. We had snow on Christmas Eve, a white Christmas and snow the day after Christmas… I guess that’s most people’s idea of an ideal Christmas – weather-wise at least. (Personally, I’d be just fine going to the beach on Christmas.)

But back to these strange happenings around our house. With all the Christmas things disappearing, I think it must be at least March or April, but my iPhone keeps telling me it’s January.

Christmas is sort of a magical time and with Claire it usually lasts well into the new year, but this year looks like its back to the real world much sooner. It’s interesting that the US is one of the places that just build up to Christmas — and then it’s over. A lot (maybe most) countries have some “after Christmas” activities still associated with the holiday.

You can look up post-Christmas celebrations for various countries if you’d like, but I remember reading about some activities in Norway — on New Years Eve, children go around the neighborhood wearing wacky costumes and go door to door singing Christmas carols even though Christmas has already passed. The houses pass out candy and cookies — it sounds like a combination of trick or treating and Christmas caroling. Actually, if I remember what I read, the entire period between the day after Christmas until New Years Eve are acceptable days for this custom.

January 6 (the 13th day of Christmas) is usually noted by Claire, but we don’t do any sort of “celebrating.” In Norway that day is the day for taking down decorations. Norway also has parties in January – called “Christmas tree parties.” Even though its always into the new year, the parties are called “Christmas tree parties.”

Just seems kind of nice for Christmas not to “end,” on December 26. Of course decorations and festivities don’t convey the real meaning of Christmas. Everyone always says it would be nice if we could just keep the Christmas Spirit all year long. So that’ll be my goal — decorations or not, grinch or not, I’ll try to stay in that Christmas state of mind throughout 2013….
—30—