Taking Down the Christmas Tree

How many of us procrastinate when it comes to taking down the tree? It's nowhere near as much fun as decorating it! This year, however, I found myself enjoying the tedious task of putting each of the ornaments into their special boxes and spots. How could that be, you ask? Perhaps it's a sign of "the mother of teens" : savouring any moments that allow us to step back in time quietly and reconnect with those early years! It's always so festive and busy when we decorate the tree, and in the quiet of a January Sunday afternoon, I could focus in a different way.
We have a nice tradition in our family in which we buy each of the kids a new ornament each Christmas, and then when they move on to their own lives...they take the ornaments with them! Never will they have an empty tree. Many of these ornaments have stories attached to them, since I enjoy picking them up when we have been on vacation or travelling. One of our current favorites is the "Smart Car", which was a reminder of our big European bike trip in 2007. (The kids fell in love with these adorable European cars.) The process of taking down the tree was so enjoyable, that I need to remind myself to try and savour again next January! Once again, a little treasure found when you least expect it.