Christmastide 2026 - Candlemas

 Monday, February 2, 2026

Got the tree down today. Well, one of 'em anyway. 

One of these days I'll make porridge again but for today it was just oatmeal. Still delicious. 

I did have some gingersnaps today with raspberry jelly. I meant to make a gingerbread cake this January but the grocery store didn't have the mix. 

Epiphany 2024: De-Christmasing

Saturday, January 6, 2024

Epiphany

Started the process of de-Christmasing this morning. Got the ornaments off the tree. 

                   

Took down the red lights and eventually the white ones too. 

Got together with Noel for lunch and shopping. This was not like one our post holiday shopping adventures of the past. We used to  hit the stores a day or two after Christmas for the sales but not this year.  In fact, I didn't even buy anything. However, Noel got me a couple of sweet little gifts. Actually these were more like white elephants since she's downsizing from her vast amounts of Christmas stuff. Still, very sweet and I like them very much. 

Epiphany 2022

Thursday, January 6, 2021

Sylvester likes looking out the window. Even in the dark, I guess. 

The kings finally made it. However, by the end of the day I had everything packed up including the tree. 

Sad that January 6th is now associated with another event. It's been one year since the insurrection. The event was horrifying enough in and of itself and even more so because people who identify as Christian brandished flags, banners, and the like with Christian images alongside white supremacist and nazi imagery. 

Let there be peace on earth. 

Twelfth Day of Christmas - Christmas Coming Down

Sunday, January 5, 2020

It took 4 hours. Including the tree. Listened to lots of Christmas music. 

Third Day of Christmas - Taking Down the Tree

Thursday, December 27, 2018

This is, as far as I know, the earliest I've taken down the Christmas tree. EVER. I got the tree, ornaments, and most of the tchotchkes down while Dale was out running errands. I wasn't hard to do and didn't take nearly as long as usual as I didn't set as much out this year. When Dale returned he made a comment about how empty the house looked. It surprised me because he usually wants the visual (to him) over-stimulation to go away sooner than later. I told him Christmas would just have to live on in his heart.

Third Day of Christmas - Christmas On the Couch and More

Thursday, December 27, 2018

1. Sat on the couch and admired the tree.

2. Listened to 50s era Rosemary Clooney Christmas music.

3. Listened to Bing Crosby Christmas music and drank egg nog.

4. Ate some bark left over from Noel's holiday fete. 

5. Worked on the Joe and Mike Christmas Playlist.

6. Read How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

7. Read The Polar Express.

8. Ate leftover Chinese food from yesterday.

9. Listened to Christmas 2013 playlist and read The Night Before Christmas.

10. Took down the tree and all Christmas decorations. Including the two smaller trees pictured above. One was in the bedroom and one was in the dining room. 

11. Drank some egg nog.

12. Read Santa Mouse.

13. Listened to Christmas 2012 playlist.

14. Watched White Christmas with Dale while eating a frozen pizza for dinner.

15. The cowboy Charisse gave me didn't grow much from yesterday although it looks like one of his legs is a little more engorged. I took him out of water a few hours later...

Post Christmas Season 2017/2018 - Taking Down the Tree

Sunday, January 7, 2018

The ornaments came down yesterday.

The lights and the tree came down today.

Christmas Season 2016/2017 - Tree Down

Sunday, January 8, 2017

The decorations were off the tree on January 3. The lights and the tree was down by January 8. 

Christmas Season 2014/2015 - Taking Down the Tree

All of it down by today.

All Cleaned Up

The tree and lights came down today. Decorative mercury glass ornaments (those set out on surfaces and not on the tree) and all other remaining Christmas tchotchkes were put away as well. Ornaments on the tree were taken down at the end of Christmas vacation. Last year I had it all cleaned up by Epiphany.

Christmas Season 2012/2013 - Epiphany & Summary

I took down the ornaments and the tree on this beautiful, cold, sunny Epiphany day.  It reminded me of the day I put the tree up, December 24.  It's always hard for me to say goodbye to Christmas but, as we all know, if it lasted all year it wouldn't be as special.  So, there you go.  By the way, this is the earliest I've had the tree down in years.  Dale was pleased to say the least.

Tree Down - February 2012

It's finally down! All you can see here are the tree skirt and tree stand. In 2011 the tree came down on February 27th. I'm ahead by five whole days!

Lights Off - February 2012

The lights finally came off tonight. All that's left is the tree! Pictured above are the lights on a neighbor's trees.

Ornaments Off the Tree

Last year I had the ornaments off the tree by January 30. This year they're all off by today, Groundhog Day. The tree itself didn't come down last year until Feb. 27. Let's see if I can beat that this year.