Ground Hog Day Otherwise known as 'Taking Down Christmas'}

On Friday (Groundhog Day), I took down our Christmas tree. Now some of you are probably thinking: "How lazy!' or 'Isn't it a little late?' Let me explain, please. Part of the problem is my husband's love of all things Christmas. If he had his way, our tree would stay up until at least June and there would always be Christmas lights in the window, regardless of the season. In deference to his sensibilities, we have part of our Santa collection out all the time, I have agreed to keep the paper snowflakes up in the windows at least until the end of February, and the Christmas village is in the kitchen window all year round. The rest of the stuff had to come down (and here comes my part of the problem).

Putting up Christmas means parties are coming, carols will be sung, cookies will be baked and presents will be opened. Putting up Christmas means reminiscing about past Christmases as each ornament is put on the tree, new decorations are lovingly selected and new arrangements are tried. Putting up Christmas is anticipation and expectation of good things.

Taking down Christmas is much less fun than putting it up. Taking down Christmas is finding the evergreen boughs around the manager scene have spread needles to rooms all over the house and you are never able to sweep them all up. Taking down Christmas means ornaments that won't fit back in the boxes you took them from, missing everyday items you put away temporarily until the season was over, an attic space that has shrunk two sizes since the boxes were taken out in November, and a feeling of emptiness at unadorned rooms. Taking down Christmas is missing those you weren't able to see during the holidays and memories of past hurts. If I take down Christmas during the dark month of January, there is a double load of depression.

So, for me, Ground Hog day is the perfect day to take down Christmas. On the day that we find out (according to a furry rodent) whether spring will be early or late, I choose to put away the best part of winter and begin to look forward to Spring. February is anniversaries, Valentine's day, the first primrose and pansies, with the occasional crocuses. February is trimming my rose bushes to get ready for loads of blooms this summer, clear my garden to winter's debrie and planning my vegetable garden. February is a short sweet preparation for everything that is to come. By taking down Christmas on a day of anticipation, I just move from one celebration to another. Join me....let's make Ground Hog day the official 'Taking Down Christmas Day'. Who knows, we may start a movement!