Holiday Letdown

Did you ever notice what a letdown you get after the holidays? You go from a house full of people, laughing, playing games, Christmas music in the background to liven things up, to virtual silence. The bright and happy home goes straight too doom, gloom, and quiet as a morgue. It’s really unsettling. What’s even more amazing is how fast you go from being energetic and getting things done, to feeling tired and lazy and lucky if you manage to change out of your robe.

I really miss Christmas when it’s over, although I don’t declare it over until at least Greek Christmas. I had a great Christmas this year so it will be even harder to let it go. When most people are taking their tree down and packing everything away, I’m dragging out extra ornaments to fill in the empty places that were missed the first time around.

I’ve realized over the years that Christmas is a process, a journey. Each year you strive to get everything down and have everything perfect. It’s like they say in the Constitution “…. Strive for a more perfect union.” That’s how I look at the holiday, striving for a more perfect Christmas. Some day it will be perfect; someday I will get everything done in time. The presents will be wrapped ahead of time and I won’t be up till after midnight wrapping. I will wrap as I buy the gifts throughout the year and will have time to make my own bows and wrap with creativity, imagination, and individuality. I will be organized enough so that I can make my fruitcake right after Thanksgiving and have time enough to bake all the cookies I want. Every room in the house will be decorated as well as the outside.

I’m sure you’ve realized by now that none of this happened this year. I was wrapping after midnight, the manger wasn’t lit, the carolers beside the manger weren’t plugged in and one didn’t even have a working bulb. The bells weren’t hung around the porch because we couldn’t get every one to twinkle and blew the fuses in the house five times trying to get them all lit. After the fifth fuse the bells were returned to their storage box and my brother gave up. However, it was a very merry Christmas and I had loads of fun, laughter, and tender loving moments. I didn’t want my family to go back home and didn’t want the holidays to end.

They always say you should appreciate the good things while you have them. I do appreciate that I was blessed with such a wonderful holiday, the trouble is that no matter how much you appreciate it, it stills saddens you when it’s over and it doesn’t make it last longer.