Every year, I insist on taking down the tree on January 1st. It’s become a family tradition now, a way of starting the new year fresh and clean.
I love feeling like the house is uncluttered again. (I’ll admit that I have quite a few Christmas decorations!) But throwing the tree out entirely? That makes me sad.
This year, I am inspired by a friend who has created a special outdoor living room for COVID-safe small gatherings. She put her deck furniture and fire pit on a small spot between their parking area and their house. When they put up their normal tree, she opted for one more—and set it up outside. It’s the most perfect little scene, so cozy and welcoming as you come up to their house. (I was going to say “go into their house”—but nope, we don’t do that around here. Pretty much no one goes into anyone else’s house anymore.)
I was so delighted by the feeling she’s created I wanted to copy her idea. Throughout December, I’ve expended some mental energy on thinking about what would make sense here at our own house. I loved the idea of seeing it in the outdoor kitchen area. However, we’ve closed that up for the season. Plus, we’d have to walk “all the way around the house” to get there—which just doesn’t happen if there is 20 inches of snow.
In the end, I’ve decided it should go at the main entrance to our house, near our own garage. The wee tree from my office can serve as a cute sidekick. After we removed all the ornaments yesterday, my oldest set them up.
This morning, it snowed a bit before turning to a freezing rain that clings to all branches in a most wintery icicle fashion. When my daughter got up, she was so surprised by their beauty that she called me over to appreciate them, too.
Finding new ways to bring celebrations outside? A silver lining for all!
