‘Christmas is a wrap.’
No, I didn’t have to go to the City last week.
There I was, comfortably ensconced on our well-worn Amagansett couch — pile of knitting on my left, stack of New Yorkers on my right — when I realized that I had not seen the Metropolitan Museum Christmas tree.
That’s me, making like a Medieval ornament at the Met
I had nary a doctor’s appointment or lunch date or party invitation. My calendar was clean. But I knew that if I didn’t get myself back to the City and up to the Met, I would miss seeing the Christmas tree. Because, like almost every other Christmassy Thing in New York City, it would disappear after January 6.
January 6, you see, is Epiphany. Or Three Kings Day. Or the Twelfth Day of Christmas. Whatever you call it — well, except for the Day The “Patriots” Stormed the Capitol — it is more or less the end of Christmas. (Hmmm, I guess the Day They Stormed the Capitol was kinda the end of Christmas, too.)
But back to decorations. After January 6, people untrim their trees, dismantle their mantels, take down their lights. Well, except for the Russian Tea Room. They famously leave theirs up all year ’round.
She’s not Russian, and this isn’t a tea room, but I have a friend who decided to leave this up all year round. And who wouldn’t?
To be honest, taking down the decorations used to be my favorite part of Christmas.
Oh, I enjoyed looking at decorations. As long as someone else put them up. For some reason I’ve never been fond of hanging shiny balls or strewing tinsel. And don’t get me started about stringing lights. (See one of my takes on this in “Deck the Halls with Bough of Holly.”)
The extent of our Amagansett Christmas decor: a bowl of ornaments
Why, back in the day I disliked decorating so much that I used to bribe my friends with champagne and pot roast to get them to come over and decorate the tree for me. (See “(N)o Tannenbaum” for delicious deets.) This went on for years until The Child grew up and left the house — taking my Tree Trim urge right with her.
Our last Tree Trim Party. We held it on Jan. 6 and “undecorated” the tree. Needless to say, this tradition did not “stick”
But somehow this year felt different. I liked looking at all the pretty lights. I liked smelling all the evergreens. I even liked setting out my bowl of ornaments and my little ceramic tree with the teensy train that goes round and round its base.
And I kinda didn’t want to put them away.
But put them away I did. Then went and poured myself a bourbon.
The little ceramic tree, before I (sniff) put it away
New York City. January 2023
I was sad to see the decorations go! (My husband’s the decorator around here, so he does it–I can’t complain.) The lights and shiny help brighten up these Maryland days of cold and wet and no snow. I do still have my door wreath up tho, because it’s somehow hanging onto its needles! Think it’s a Christmas miracle?
I say if that wreath cheers you up, then keep it up! It felt good to get my stuff stashed away, but things do look a tad bare and drab around here. In my humble opinion, tho, the real Christmas Miracle is that your husband likes to decorate! Dude Man doesn’t notice when I put the decorations up (or when I take them down, for that matter) so I certainly can’t see him taking over in that department
This year, Christmas just seemed to go by so fast. Happy new year to you!
Yes, it *sniff* did. But now we have a whole brand spankin’ new year to look forward to. Enjoy yours, dear Ruth!
Put a new bottle of bourbon under the tree just for you, every year. We don’t have Christmas here so I like to watch the neighbors to see if they take it all down by Jan. 6 which the HOA requires.
Oooooo! The HOA requires undecorating by Jan. 6! Who knew?!? Hey Judy, I’d love to uncork a bottle of Jim or Jack with you any ole time. Christmas or no Christmas