The Thirteenth Day of Christmas

Well, it's the 'Thirteenth' Day of Christmas today. I guess a more appropriate name would be Epiphany. I decided it was time to take down the tree and the few decorations that we have around.

However, the Christmas dishes will remain for the next month or so. Actually they're not overtly Christmas--just greenery with red berries. My sister-in-law says that as long as there's snow on the ground she uses her Winterberry dishes. I think that's a good rationale. Maybe my own will be: as long as it's dry and dusty, Winterberry it will be.

Actually our Christmas will be continuing for quite awhile. We just received our first Christmas card in the mail yesterday. Then the kids got a beautiful Christmas picture book in the mail today. (At first I was afraid it was an advent calendar!) I know my mom has already shipped some cards, and we look forward to receiving those soon.

My parents will arrive in a couple of weeks, and I'm sure they'll be bearing gifts. They were supposed to come at Christmastime, but their plans changed. I dreaded telling Tobi. When I eventually shared the news, his face dropped for a few seconds, and then he said, "If they come in January, will they still bring Christmas presents?"

The only Christmas decoration left in the house is the wrapping paper and bow on my home office door. I had such high hopes of what I wanted to do with the kids during the month of December in our 'Christmas Room,' but they didn't come to pass. I thought I had a second chance with the Twelve Days of Christmas, but that didn't work either. Maybe I'll leave that wrapping paper up for another month or so and see if the kids and I can still do some fun activities in our Christmas Room.