Farewell, Christmas!

So I finally took down the Christmas decorations today. Yes, I know it's January 14 and Christmas has been over for 3 weeks. This is how I roll. Every year I avoid this task as long as possible. Inevitably MLK weekend appears, and I am provided with the extra day I need to tackle this terrible chore.
It's time-consuming, exhausting, and depressing. Yes, I'm lazy, but ultimately I hate to see all of the sparkle leave my living room. 


I know you know what I mean. Just look at this tree in all it's glittery goodness:

That picture is way more happy to look at than this one:

And this scene is just plain dismal:

I wish I could just leave it up (at least my tree), but then I'd be that "crazy lady who has her Christmas stuff up all year". I might as well fill my condo with cats and call it a day. 
No, thank you.


It seriously took me all day to take everything down. I started at 11:00 a.m. and just finished putting it away at 10:00 p.m. Ridiculous. Okay, okay, I may have taken some breaks to watch basketball and eat...and check Facebook and Pinterest. But for real-what a beast. And what do I have to show for all of this hard work? A bare living room, that's what. I swear everything is echoing up in here now. The only bright spot is that my (nerd alert) storage closet got cleaned up and organized.


Stay with me here, people, 'cause I'm about to start talking to Christmas...


Dear Christmas, 
As always, my family and I had a great time with you! I am sad to see you go, but I look forward to your visit this upcoming December. I have some exciting things planned for you! I'm going to recycle all of this year's Christmas cards so that I can use them for gift tags.

I'm also going to make a scrapbook with all of the adorable photo Christmas cards of my fabulous friends and family (including the ones I've saved for like 7 years).

Christmas, with all of the preparations that I have to make, I know you will be here again before I know it! Take care and get some rest, you crazy holiday, you.
Love always,
Jackie