A new idea, a new revelation, the 12th night. All meanings of a word I find makes my tongue twinkle and my mind whir.
Unfortunately, the garbage man doesn’t believe in Epiphany (even though he’s been clothed as St. Nick during most of his Ballard runs during December). Our tree recycle day is Tuesday. So we practiced utilitarian ethics and took down the tree today. We cleaned house literally. All the Xmas spooge that’s accumulated over years of packing and moving and staying finally got a day of reckoning today. We downsized into blue rubbermaid bins instead of mice welcoming cardboard boxes. We got rid of lots of packing material. Some ornaments got culled (not as many as I expected…sentimentality lives).
Everytime I mentioned giving something away, highly sensitive Sara ears would pick up that adult speak and come inspect the object leaving our house. She would give her approval or disapproval.
We’ve been discussing Xmas preferences. Wayne likes to put ormanental multicolored balls on the tree while I would prefer just all our individual ornaments. Tinsel is out. The tree being gone makes Wayne feel like it’s really the new year. I could have had it up longer. Family life is so dynamic. We know our ornaments are likely in boxes for another 2 years when travel starts again next holiday season. So packing up the stuff is a little sad.
Our playmobile nativity scene is still active. The wisemen have started to wander. Wayne’s worried they’ll get lost. I’m willing to take the risk.
Wayne said I could leave the wreath up till Advent. I chuckled. A whole year, how generous. He meant Epiphany. Yard waste on Tuesday. Sigh.
We also discussed whether the front door could have chalk placed on it. No. So I’ll settle for the front stoop or a sign. We’ll see.