I thought to myself, "What do I tell her?"
Because I dread taking it down. Because I am not ready to drag out all the boxes and sweep up all the faux pine needles from the floor. Because holding on to the prickly branches of the artificial tree gives me the heebie-jeebies. Because I know that there is probably some dried cat vomit way back there somewhere that I have been avoiding. Because taking down the tree will force your dad to have a conversation with me about what to do with the tree we've had for most of our marriage -- a tree that is falling apart, a tree who has missing branches and broken branches strung up with green ribbon (camouflage) to other branches for extra support. Because the thought of hefting that Charlie Brown Christmas tree up into the frigid attic by myself does not sound like a good time. Because taking down the tree signifies the end of the year, and I'm just not ready to face 2011 -- the year I turn 40 and have my 15th wedding anniversary -- the year I have to seriously consider going back to work. Hmmm.
"Yes, why is it still up?" asked my husband.
"I don't know," I replied.
"Do you want to help take it down?" he asked our daughter.
"Sure!" she replied enthusiastically and raced over to the tree to start removing the very ornaments she's been playing with since the day after Thanksgiving.
Hmmm. If my three-year-old is ready to move on, then I guess I should be too.
And just like that, Christmas was over.
Great post. It's just like kids to help us move foward, don't you think?
ReplyDeleteI too can hardly believe we are on the cusp of yet another year. Taking decorations down is really an endeavor that I dread- it's taken me three days to get my house to a point where it doesn't look like a bomb went off. Happy New Year!
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