Wednesday, January 06, 2016

The Beauty of Lowered Expectations

Most years I eagerly anticipate Christmas so much, but when it is over I feel let down and sad at having to pack everything away again.

This year, for the first time since 1987 I did not put up a tree or decorate. 

In December 1987 we were in escrow for this house, finishing a kitchen remodel on the prior house, and everything we owned was in the process of being packed, boxed, or stored.

This year, I blame it on the kitten.

I was afraid to put up Pink and Sparkly! For sure, I thought, he would attack it and climb it and play vigorously with the breakable ornaments.

Then I thought I might buy a small tree, strongly tie it down somewhere, and put on only non-breakable decorations. I never got around to that.

I ended up with a wilted wreath, a foot-high shrub, and a Christmas tablecloth. Not so much anticipation.

But by golly, no post-Christmas let-down. That feels wonderful.

Meanwhile Kitten is attacking the computer screen as the cursor moves.






6 comments:

Common Household Mom said...

But wait, I put up hardly any Christmas decorations, and I still feel a let down. I think it's because as soon as the new year comes, it is time for me to think about paying taxes again.

Gary's third pottery blog said...

I know, I hate the aftermath too, and therefore furiously clean for days...

cookingwithgas said...

I rescued a Angel tree from my mother's house about three years back. It was missing an angel. It takes me all of two minutes to set up. Next year I might add lights.... it's so not me that it takes people by surprise. Maybe I like that. This year I look at it and think of mom. At some point she loved it.

Cassi said...

I have been frustrated with decorating for Christmas for a few years now --it just seems to become clutter, in our already too-cluttered living room. Lately, I've been yearning to have a house with a family room and living room --something I never understood the need for before.

Because of our kittens, we put the tree up very late. We had it up from about 12/23 to 1/2. The kittens certainly loved having it to hide behind, and batting the lower branches. We didn't hang any ornaments on the lowest branches. I think we took it down just in time, though --I'm pretty sure the last few times they were looking at it with thoughts of climbing :-)

I am always happy to put Christmas decorations away though --I love New Year's Day, and like to make everything clean for a fresh start.

Anonymous said...

Smaller can be so liberating. I've been doing that more and more and never feel disappointed. It's crazy how we can pressure ourselves for things, right?

Karen (formerly kcinnova) said...

I say, if it works for you, do it (or in this case, don't do it)!
When I've gone minimal (for purposes of babies, travel, and/or cats) I've always missed the cheerfulness of the decorations. The year I would have really liked to skip all of it, my kids were still young and dh was deployed, so not decorating would have been a sign of depression.