And the house looks so empty and so dark

Taking down the Christmas decor and putting it away until next year is always depressing for me.

I like the colors, the lights, the glittering.  I like the glow of the lights and the softness they lend to the rooms. 

We spent most of the day taking down the decorations in the house, undecorating the two tress, and putting everything away on the shelves in the basement.

Now the house is dark. 

Being in a new house for a major holiday has been interesting in itself.  I had to find new places for favorite snowmen and candles and wreaths and wall hangings.

We bought a new tree and had to adjust to new fullness and new places for the ornaments.  That was funny too because we couldn't find all of the boxes of ornaments we used last year, but we did find a couple of boxes of those we hadn't used for a while and one that I had forgotten about that I had brought from Mom's house.

But now the house is dark.

The furniture has returned to the original (or what was the original for a few months) spots.  Some pieces have been moved to new places.

New wall hangings must be added because there are new nails which held Christmas decor in the hallways, in the bathrooms, and in the family room.

But the rooms are still dark.

The lights are still strung around the railing on the deck.

The tree is still on the circle.

The wreath is sitll on the barn.

But those will be coming down this week--as the weather permits.

The holidays are over.  The memories remain.  And plans can be in place for next year's celebrations!

But the house is still dark!