Ginevra Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 I never do this. Never, ever, have I been in a rush to take down the Christmas decorations. But we had so many low-activity days off, I figured I should just undecorate now, while there was time to spare, rather than a month from now when too much is going on. So, I did it yesterday and today (although the guys will have to take down the trees). My youngest is mutinying. He is not at all happy that I undec'd already. But I am thinking if I hadn't already gotten the ball rolling on it, I would not start now...I was just temporarily insane for a minute or two, thinking about those trees and electric candles burning up the kWs. But now I am sad and sorry I took everything down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyGF Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 You did it today because otherwise it would have been up for months and months. Well, that's why we did it today. Hubby leaves soon for a bunch of travel, then a baby is coming, and it is hard to get energy up for something when the weather is blah. How about a bunch of candles? Emily 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clementine Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 I hate the undecorating process, but I love how uncluttered & clean my house looks when it's done! I still have a pine scented candle burning today and I plan on drinking the last of my 'Christmas tea'...slowly getting back to normal life. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momacacia Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 I'm sorry you're sorry. I'm sorry everything here isn't already down and school starts up tomorrow. :-/ I might leave up a few things but it'd be okay to have a lot of it down by now. Maybe the kids and I will work in it this week. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 get some fresh flowers. :) 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 It's like getting out while something is going well. It's a little depressing and you are still enjoying them. However, if you had waited, your house would simply seem cluttered--that's not ending well. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 I took my decorations down too. I like to get it done with soon after Christmas. But the fact is, January is my least favorite month. This time of year is a drag, from Christmas till spring starts showing up. I love the fall, all the way from the start of school to Christmas. And when it's over I feel kind of blah. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 My current goal is to undecorate by dh's Feb. birthday...Or, just wait until Jan. 2017... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 :( Bummer. I am one of those who is super excited to put everything up, loooooves the festive atmosphere, then can't wait to get everything down because the kids insist on a big tree, and it takes over the living room. But I still miss it when it's all gone, especially the candles. You'll remember feeling like this next year, leave it up WAY too long until it's driving you crazy, vow to take it all down the day after Christmas the *next* year and follow through, then miss all the festive decorations. Oh, wait. That's me..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 (edited) Can you do something special and festive with him? I like the candles and flowers idea. Drink some egg nog and watch a holiday movie together? Edited January 3, 2016 by Desert Strawberry 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 I put away all my Christmas stuff except a string of lights I rehung so I can brighten the bleak winter nights ahead. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 Can you do something special and festive with him? I like the candles and flowers idea. Drink some egg nog and watch a holiday movie together? Maybe. :) except hot cocoa instead of egg nog. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted January 3, 2016 Share Posted January 3, 2016 We had fun un-decorating today as well, for all the same reasons. We listened to our CATS soundtrack, and are now enjoying our clutter-free living room. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SerenityNow Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 I keep a string of white lights along our mantle, and another framing a very wide doorway in our living room until closer to Spring. They add a nice sparkle during dark, dreary, winter days. Are your decorations somewhere easy to access? Maybe you could get a few lights back out and do some "winter decorating". I always wanted to do a grouping of glass jars filled with strings of lights. Maybe with some silvery ribbon and pine cones. Anyway.... just an idea. :001_smile: 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 (edited) We set up our tree closer to Christmas than Thanksgiving, and keep it up until mid/end of January. We will switch it out for "winter" decorations at that point. It takes a lot of effort to do the decorating, so I want to enjoy it as long as possible (until the needles are really falling off). I don't want the winter decorations up for six months, though. Edited January 4, 2016 by Amy in NH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarahbobeara Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 We put our tree up the 12th or so of December, then went to my parents' for a week for Christmas, and got back right before New Years, so it still feels good to have the tree up right now. The multi-colored lights cheer me up. The only down side is it seems like the twinkle lights give off a bit of heat and make the room a few degrees warmer...and that is the room where the thermostat for the whole house is! It says it's 68 in there but 64 in the rest of the house. Anyway, we'll probably take the tree down in a week but might try some light decor like SerenityNow suggested. Great idea :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 I did the same thing and shocked my whole family. I don't know why. It just seemed like the thing to do and now it seems sad. I'm glad to have the living room back to it's treeless more spacious state, but really, it feels like I prematurely put an end to Christmas. Dd has another week before her CC classes start and ds has 2 before he heads back. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 We have a teepee that I string twinkle lights on and the kids use as a little reading nook. From outside it kind of looks like a Christmas tree, maybe you can do that? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 I keep a string of white lights along our mantle, and another framing a very wide doorway in our living room until closer to Spring. They add a nice sparkle during dark, dreary, winter days. Are your decorations somewhere easy to access? Maybe you could get a few lights back out and do some "winter decorating". I always wanted to do a grouping of glass jars filled with strings of lights. Maybe with some silvery ribbon and pine cones. Anyway.... just an idea. :001_smile: I like to decorate with snowflakes in January. Winter, but not Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamiof5 Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Another vote for a Christmas movie. And maybe even Christmas music and cute coloring pages? Or what about a simple, handmade ornament? Something that you can look up to putting on the tree next Christmas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Time to make paper snowflakes and hang them from the ceiling with fishing line. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 (edited) We always take everything down on the 27th. We have birthdays 4 and 5 days after Christmas and we don't like Christmas overhsadowing the birthdays. DS13 called me a Christmas Killer for a few days. He was only half joking. Now that I homeschool if I didn't get the stuff down on our holiday it wouldn't be down until spring. (Ugh. Can't believe school starts again tomorrow. As a homeschooler I'm the opposite of "And mom and dad can hardly wait for school to start again." No! Don't want school to start again!) Edited to remove 3,000 commas. Why do they feel so right when I'm typing and then look so wrong when I re-read the post? Down with commas! Edited January 4, 2016 by Garga Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeking Squirrels Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 I'm sorry you're sad about it. We took everything down today and I am beyond thrilled! I wanted my living area back to normal! We don't have a good place for the tree, so we had to move the piano to put it there. That meant shoving a bookcase and desk up against each other to make room for the piano on that wall. So I had a tree in one corner and a wall of furniture looking way too crammed and cluttered along the opposite wall. Ick. Hated it. The kids weren't super happy about it, but we pretty much always do it the weekend after New Years, so it wasn't a surprise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 I'm bummed that I didn't get mine packed up this weekend. I'm another fan of the "miraculously decluttered" effect. I wouldn't take my (specifically my) kids' feelings into account because I know from experience that they get a little upset even when we de-Christmas in February. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 This just came up on my FB feed. I of course thought of this thread! :laugh: http://domino.com/how-to-not-be-sad-when-you-take-the-tree-down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 I undecorated yesterday and my 6-year-old was upset until I explained that we couldn't have the LEGO playdate I'd planned for Friday if the house were still decorated. There are lots of kids coming, including toddler siblings, and we don't have room for Christmas stuff and them! He quickly decided the LEGO playdate was worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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