I guess it’s time to take the Christmas decorations down and put them away for another year. Sometimes, I am tempted to just leave them all up. They are cheery and colorful. There is a huge wreath with lights and red bows that hangs above the fireplace in the living room. The ceiling is vaulted so hanging the wreath is quite a chore, requiring a tall ladder and some precarious balancing. Two years ago, I decided to just leave it in place. It has worked out well and even received some compliments, so who not leave it all up, at least until Valentine’s Day? Add a few hearts and the red and green could still work…
Having some special decoration for Christmas is fun. If it was up all year, it might become boring and unnoticed. The work of opening the storage boxes like presents every year has its own delight. We have small traditions in the decorations and the memories they evoke. Even the extra work it involves brings a brightness and beauty to the cold and dark season. For these few moments, we return to the wide-eyed delight of the youngest children who are awed by the light and color and pageantry. If we are aware, we may remember that we are the children of God’s heavenly kingdom, which is filled with light and glory.