Andy likes to keep the Christmas tree up until at least ‘Little Christmas’ which I believe is January 6, and at this dark time of the year I’m all for it. Our other little trees will remain up until the end of January. It extends the warm glow of the holidays, and makes the front end of winter go by in cheerier fashion. I also feel like we didn’t get as much out of Christmas as we have in the past – maybe it was all the worry about COVID and dealing with family issues, maybe it was the socially-distant state of the world, and maybe (most likely) it was my inability to simply sit down in front of the Christmas tree and take it all in – slowly and mindfully and meaningfully. The only time I got to do that was when Andy and I opened our gifts on Christmas Eve – after it was done we simply sat beside the tree, talking and appreciating the moment and our time together.
In a way, extending the season is a way to pause and take it all in, which may be easier to do now that the big day has come and gone. The resonant part of what Christmas means remains. Without the stress and bombast and pressure of all the shopping and general insanity of the weeks and days leading up to it, we have reached the space of quiet and contemplation to truly enjoy a Christmas moment.
Our Christmas tree was lit by me and decorated by Andy. It has ornaments that are decades old, as well as newer ones that have only been with us for a couple of years. As we add more, it only gets more beautiful each year – a rare moment when accumulating objects increases the visual appeal of something.
There’s also something magical about the Christmas tree that makes every picture of an ornament look far prettier than they have any right to be. The lighting and the evergreen needles and the idea of being nestled in a cozy bough lends further enchantment.
