Everything Is Put Away for Another Year

It's always sad for me to put the Christmas things away. 

I like Christmas for the most part, and I like the lights shining in the evening.  I like the glow through the month of December.  I like riding around the countryside and looking at the trees lit in houses and the outdoor lights that dot the landscapes and housetops.

We have two trees.  One is large and in the living room at the entrance from the dining room/kitchen into the bigger room. The other is the cardinal tree that sits in the corner of the dining room in front of the long windows.  I guess we have other trees too since Ann's large ceramic tree is downstairs in the family room sitting on a cabinet and the little ceramic tree that she made was in the window of the family room too.  I bought a new gold tree with twinkle lights that sat on the table my grandfather made that usually has Dad's flag and a few other things from him on it.

Once those trees are put away, the rooms seem empty.  And dark.

I like the other decor also, and the lights that give just enough light in the rooms so that we can walk around the house and not run into anything if no other lights are on.

But it is all put away now.

Some of the snowmen are still sitting on windowsills and counter tops.

The lighted garland is still on the mantle.

Some reminders of winter still dot the house.

Never fear---in 11 months, we will be pulling everything out again, trying to remember what goes where, what happened to certain items, and what new things we can add.

Who knows?  Maybe the red lantern that was lost this year will turn up again!