I love decorating for Christmas.
It feels wonderful to add decorations, greenery and lights,
to make my home sparkle and glow for the holidays weeks.
I don’t love un-decorating for Christmas.
It feels a little frustrating to repack decorations, greenery and lights,
and return my home to normal after the holiday weeks.
Last year I did a major re-organization with my Christmas decor.
You know that elusive quest to
“have a place for everything,
and have everything in its place?”
This system of new boxes, clearly labeled, worked well.
It was easy to return things where they belonged.
The cards didn’t work so well.
They didn’t mail themselves,
and are still in the cool box I packed them in.
This year I added another small project to my life as I repacked the boxes.
Fragile things were given their own containers.
I used to just wrap decor in a lot of plastic bags,
but I decided I needed a system that was so organized,
it almost packed itself back up.
Besides, these little flocked trees didn’t come out so well this year.
They were kinda crunched.
I used Quaker Oats containers and wrapping paper.
It kinda’ bubbled, scrapbook paper probably would have worked better.
Sets of things were also given their own containers.
I bought these gorgeous babies in the 75% clearance sale
after Christmas sale at a Goodwill.
Next year can’t come soon enough to pull out these beauties again!
This box came with some kind of food in it,
and worked perfectly for the angels.
Now, they have their own home.
Many of the nice, sturdy boxes that gifts came in,
were re-purposed for specific decorations.
I didn’t decorate all the boxes,
that can always happen later.
We left up only the greenery and the lights on top of the windows
and the snowflakes on the windows and hanging in the house.
I like to leave up a little cheer throughout the long winter month of January.
We’ll wait for better weather to take the outside lights off the house.
For the most part, the symbols of Christmas are packed away,
but there’s something I never pack into the attic.
Emmanuel, God with Us,
is still residing in my heart,
as He has since He saved me in October, 1982.
Since the beginning of time,
mankind has made up rituals to try to appease and
seek the presence of the God of Heaven,
reaching up to Him in ways He did not create or condone.
They ignore the fact that He brought Heaven to earth,
through the birth of His Son,
to bring us from earth to Heaven,
through faith in His Son.
It is so simple and so beautiful.
Day by day,
in any season,
in any place,
we celebrate
Emmanuel
God
With
Us.
Is Emmanuel
still in your home?
**************
Excellent job! We should ask that question every day!
Excellent job! We should ask that question every day!
It seems like EVERYONE wants to "help" decorate but not everyone wants to help undecorate. But since we just moved in our new home Dec.1 I was anxious to get life back to "normal" and work on getting the house where it needs to be. But I certainly did not pack up my Lord and Savior. No, I need Him each and every day.Loved your storage ideas. Oh and I wanted to let you know that my hubby has read the Joy of Gardening from cover to cover. LOL! And we have that companion book called Carrots Love Tomatoes. So I think he has the knowledge it's just a matter of maybe keeping the critters at bay.Have a great day. Sorry for the ultra long comment. LOL! I'm a talker.HUGSKim
It seems like EVERYONE wants to "help" decorate but not everyone wants to help undecorate. But since we just moved in our new home Dec.1 I was anxious to get life back to "normal" and work on getting the house where it needs to be. But I certainly did not pack up my Lord and Savior. No, I need Him each and every day.Loved your storage ideas. Oh and I wanted to let you know that my hubby has read the Joy of Gardening from cover to cover. LOL! And we have that companion book called Carrots Love Tomatoes. So I think he has the knowledge it's just a matter of maybe keeping the critters at bay.Have a great day. Sorry for the ultra long comment. LOL! I'm a talker.HUGSKim
Amen!!!! Emmanuel Stays!!!! Always!!! I loved this post! I have been slowly getting more organized with my packing away of decorations for all of the holidays. I love how you used the oatmeal cannisters! We go through one a week at our house and I have been searching for a purpose for them other than drums!!! LOL They will be perfect for some of our decorations…thanks for helping this mama get organized on a budget!! And for the beautiful inspiration about our amazing Emmanuel!!! Building Home with Him,Mary Joyvisiting from Making Home Sing!
Amen!!!! Emmanuel Stays!!!! Always!!! I loved this post! I have been slowly getting more organized with my packing away of decorations for all of the holidays. I love how you used the oatmeal cannisters! We go through one a week at our house and I have been searching for a purpose for them other than drums!!! LOL They will be perfect for some of our decorations…thanks for helping this mama get organized on a budget!! And for the beautiful inspiration about our amazing Emmanuel!!! Building Home with Him,Mary Joyvisiting from Making Home Sing!
You're so very organized! I probably have 2/3 less decorations than you and I still look at them with desperation. I just don't wanna….
You're so very organized! I probably have 2/3 less decorations than you and I still look at them with desperation. I just don't wanna….
Oh, this is what I choose to do today for MYHSM!! THanks for the tips – I'll probably need them 🙂
Oh, this is what I choose to do today for MYHSM!! THanks for the tips – I'll probably need them 🙂
Oh my, oh my! I also love decorating for Christmas but taking it down is not so fun. This year the day I took them down found me in with a bad attitude as I did all the work and four guys watched from their position on the couch in front of the football game. My poor me attitude was pretty bad, but sparked a desire for the inward change to care for and serve my family. If I'm going to go to the trouble to decorate, the un-decorating needs to be much better organzied. I loved your ideas and plan to regroup before next year.Thank you for the encouraging word of Emmaunel Stays – Always! Bless you!
Oh my, oh my! I also love decorating for Christmas but taking it down is not so fun. This year the day I took them down found me in with a bad attitude as I did all the work and four guys watched from their position on the couch in front of the football game. My poor me attitude was pretty bad, but sparked a desire for the inward change to care for and serve my family. If I'm going to go to the trouble to decorate, the un-decorating needs to be much better organzied. I loved your ideas and plan to regroup before next year.Thank you for the encouraging word of Emmaunel Stays – Always! Bless you!
Yes, He is! Amen!My thoughts about putting the decorations away were similar. My oldest son always helps me decorate but he just pulls everything out and I never know quite how to pack it back up again, because I couldn't remember exactly what was in each box.This year, I numbered each box and made an inventory of what is it it. So next year, repacking ought to be easier. (I also told my son he has to help me, lol!).Decorating goes fast with two of us, but undecorating takes me forever, lol!Thanks for linking up to Making Your Home Sing Monday!
Yes, He is! Amen!My thoughts about putting the decorations away were similar. My oldest son always helps me decorate but he just pulls everything out and I never know quite how to pack it back up again, because I couldn't remember exactly what was in each box.This year, I numbered each box and made an inventory of what is it it. So next year, repacking ought to be easier. (I also told my son he has to help me, lol!).Decorating goes fast with two of us, but undecorating takes me forever, lol!Thanks for linking up to Making Your Home Sing Monday!