I put the joy away this weekend. I took down the lights, recycled the tree, and put the joy away. It’s taken a while to get to it. It was looking kind of lonely and out of place, like the last bit of Christmas Joy trying to hang on as long as possible.
When the curtain comes down on Christmas, it’s definitely over. The music, the decorations, the snacks, and certainly the anticipation that builds for weeks (months?) – gone with hardly a trace.
I have mixed feelings about Christmas – childhood memories, raising our kids, what are we celebrating and what does it all mean?
Seeing old style lights on a Christmas tree often takes me back to the Christmas tree I would stare at as I wondered about my ten year old world that was about to change dramatically and forever.
My siblings and I were to report to the Juvenile Detention Hall right after Christmas and from there we were soon placed in foster homes.
I experienced no family specific Christmas traditions growing up. My wife’s family traditions became mine – ours. Those traditions weren’t modified while raising our boys. Christmas was always at Grandma & Grandpa’s house.
As a kid, Christmas was receiving presents, it was great! Eventually I learned that there really is far more joy in giving than receiving. That is a sweet joy I hope to never put away.
I hope by having our kids and grandson home this year we’ve started (or renewed) a Christmas tradition in my family. Now we’re the grand parents. I hope to practice that tradition.