Packing Up Christmas

I can hear the rain falling heavily on the sidewalk outside, as I take a break from packing up Christmas. Epiphany has come, and the ornaments are being tucked into their off-season homes, the big advent calendar into it’s tidy box. Slowly, our house is being transformed into its common state, for a common season. Perching on the mantle, our accumulation of Christmas cards begs for a new home where smiling families might be seen for a little while longer. When Yuletide ends there is a mixture of sadness and joy, the sadness of knowing that every day cannot be a holiday, but the joy of knowing that each season brings newness and fresh delights.