Saying Goodbye - Looking Ahead

The last remnants of Christmas have been tucked away safely for another year.

This evening my son and I spent a few hours de-decorating our Christmas displays in our home. It's always a little bittersweet but also fun because we spend the time sharing memories and talking about the ornaments and what he will take with him someday when he sets up his own household. It allows us the opportunity to reminisce about our favorite events this year as well.

Makes it so much more enjoyable now that he's old enough to really help out with the clean-up job. When he was little I was usually a little sad because I tended to do the put-away by myself and usually while he was taking a nap or had gone to bed for the night. It's nice to share the job with him now.

However, I must also admit that I love to get the tree out to the curb, clean up the needles, and get the house back in order. Seems to feel so much roomier when that tree is out of the house.

Last year we put up the tree in the family room. This year we put it up in the living room. I think I actually liked it a little better in the living room because I'd walk in the door from work and turn on the tree and hear the Star Spangled Banner from my Statue of Liberty ornament I bought when I used to travel to New York all the time. But then we also spend most of our time together in the family room so didn't see and smell the tree as much.

Next year I'll need to be sure and do more decorating in the family room so it looks more festive. I have so many decorations that it shouldn't be an issue. Time was the robber this year, what with hosting Thanksgiving and doing the Christmas play at church.

Even though it's hard to say goodbye to those warm fuzzy memories, I continue to look forward to what 2009 holds for us. I've a feeling it just may turn out to be a banner year.