This week has been a flurry of decomposition. Taking down the Christmas decorations is always a depressing task for me. It used to make me melancholy because I was so sad to see the season go. As a kid, I would often say, “When I’m a grown-up, I’m going to leave my decorations up until Valentine’s Day - at least!”. Geez…What a ding-bat I was. Now I get upset just at the thought of having to re-wrap all of those delicate ornaments, put everything back in boxes and try like hell to get it all to fit into the utility room closet that seems to be shrinking.
The worst and most arduous task is getting our 6 foot artificial Christmas tree undone. It is a beautiful and very real looking tree that we purchased from North Pole City years ago when we were living in Oklahoma. When we first bought that tree, I loved it. It was the best tree I had ever had. Now, each year, I grow to despise that high maintenance tree more and more.
The sucker comes apart in 3 pieces- 3 pieces that I can never easily get undone. I have to tip it over, straddle it with one foot on it and pull as hard as I can. If I am successful, I can then move on the next step: the hog-tie. I grab a bungee cord and strap it to an inner branch. Then I roll the tree across the floor and grab the other end. Back in the straddle position, I then stretch the cord as far as I can and hook it to another strong branch. I have to do this 3 or 4 times before the tree is compact enough to fit in the closet.
Good luck honey!!
I think someone could make a fortune off of offering a Xmas Take-Down Service. You know, $30 for the tree and all of the ornaments, $50 for the whole interior, and $100 for the whole house- inside & out. I’d pay for it. Would you?
In other unrelated news, I fell down the steps yesterday and hurt my ham hock. No serious injuries, just a nice big bruise on my left-side-thigh and a sore elbow. Luckily no one was there to witness my graceful slide down the stairs on my side-bum.
I just noticed that there seems to be a pig theme to this post. Hmmm….I wonder if that has to do with the size of my ever-growing underbelly?
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Oink, oink 
After reading your post, I have a strange craving for bacon. :wink:
Can’t you just stick the Xmas tree in one of those space bag things and suck all of the air out of it? After that you should be able to stick it under your bed.
I would soooo pay for the Xmas take down service!
I’m snorting while I’m laughing!
Seriously, I hope you’re okay. That must have hurt.
That Xmas takedown service sounds like a good idea! I’ll bet that whoever establishes something like that would really bring home the bacon!
Hog tying an artificial?! Well I never…
Why not just hang it from the ceiling like some people are doing now? Maybe hubby could make it so it’s collapsable into the attic, one good whack with a broom and a ceiling panel rigged with a tree flips up into the attic leaving you with a nice clean panel on the underside.
There. Problem solved for next year - have him get to work on that!
:razz:
Two years ago, Todd fell down the stairs SO HARD that he broke the stair underneath the carpet. Everytime we came down the stairs, we had to go around that spot, or risk sliding down too!
girl i have been amused with your blog for quite a while now, but i never comment. i have to tell you i love your thursday 13, and your (i think its called this ??) template…. do you make them yourself? mine is just so plain!
i really like your snowy house and stuff. have a great weekend… i’ll keep reading.
:yahoo:
Real tree = no storage and bonfire kindling.
I just saw a flyer advertising the outside christmas light put up/take down service…nothing about christmas ornaments and the multiplying christmas candleholders that have made their way into my house though…
I get sad when it’s time to take it all down, too. My trees are finally down and most of the other decorations are put away. I still have to take all that lighted garland off the windows and piano and hutch and curio cabinets, remove the Christmas churches from the glass cabinets and put the regular stuff back in, and find somewhere to put all these boxes. Oh, and eat all the leftover candy.
Hi!!
$30 to take down the tree and put the ornaments away - too little! You are selling yourself short. At least ask for $50 for that!! All those ornaments need to be packed away… ugh!! I haven’t even started over here at the Crossing. Fortunately, for me, I have a slave - oops, I mean child, at my disposal this weekend… #1 Son is going to be very very busy…
xo
LBC
Ouch! I fall all the time, so I know how you feel.
That tree looks like a bitch. I’m taking my ornaments off my killer tree of death today. It’s supposedly “real,” but I swear the thing is made out of a million green sewing needles. We wore gloves to put the ornaments on because it hurt so bad. I kid you not. Now I’m risking life and limb trying to get my ornaments back.
No fun!
Oh how sad it is that we will pay for someone to do our hardwork. I dislike it too, but I rather do it myself, only to know where everything is the next year. And every year I swear I am going to be more organized.
I feel sorry you fell, I hope you weren’t in those silly flip flop socks????
We have to do that this weekend and I am dreading it.
Oh I would definitely pay!
I hate taking it down too! We did it Monday - I am so glad my husband helps me.
First of all I am glad you are all right. Nothing like falling when nobody is there.Nobody believes you until the bruise comes up. Second of all I am laughing way to hard imagining you hog tying the x-mas tree. Too funny! And third-I really enjoy just dragging my tree to the curb.
I don’t know what a ham hock is, but I’m hungry.
I was thrilled to take our Christmas tree down on New Year’s Eve this year. Holiday clutter starts to get under my skin.
When I was a kid, it was different. ONe year we DID leave the tree up until Valentine’s day and by the time we got it outside the tree was bear. We had a brown shag rug and there were tree needles in it for years and years.
It’s not fair that it can be sad AND time-consuming! I agree… a business opportunity for someone!
:wink: :biggrin:
You really don’t have to feel the need to follow in my footsteps! (Oh no - another like mother like daughter!) Sounds like your bruise is in the same place as mine was! Glad you are ok!
At least you dont’ have to deal with the dropping of pine needles and that awful cleanup! I’m tackling my monstrous tree tomorrow!
i have neighbors that hire someone to do the outside of their house, it costs a fortune!!!
oink, oink here too
I’d totally hire someone to take down all my Christmas stuff! Do you know anyone?
I think you have hit upon an idea there. I have seen ads for putting it all up but no mention of taking it down again.
Must be dangerous going down stairs in big, pink, fuzzy slippers.
How does it balance like that?
It is harder to put the stuff away than get it all out.
Sorry to hear about your hamhock, I hope you recover soon!
Around here there are signs up for people to put up and/or take down the outside lights for you. It’s a step. So, maybe your dream will someday soon be a reality?
I have a seven foot tree and each and every separate branch has to be removed from each and every of the 12 to 15 tiers. It’s just as easy to put it back in the box that’s bigger than I am.
I didn’t put it up this year…
I caught you on blogrocket. I can so identify with your tree dilemma. It got so that I finally had to make a color-coded map of which limbs go where so it at least resembled something pruned when we put it up, lol! Great blog you have here :wink:
Oh yeah, I’d pay to have someone else take down all the crap. Hope your ham hock heals fast. I’m still healing from a fall I took at Christmas. The stairs got me too. Have a great weekend sweetie!
This is why we have our King Cake AFTER the ornaments are down and the tree is put away - it is a good impetus for the kiddos to do that bit of hard work.
You’re a cute little piglet, Momma K!
oh, i missed holiday decorating this year and last year……but maybe next year. (I’ve spent x-mas in Manila)
My mom told me she hires a company now that comes out and puts lights on the house, bushes and everything, and after Christmas they come take it all down. I did not want to ask how much it all costs………. I bet it is a lot, though.
For some stupid reason, your “underbelly” comment reminded me of something Dolly Parton supposedly said.
When asked why she has such small feet, she said, “They don’t grow in the shade.”
actually I hate putting up the decoration more then taken them down. I hate having my house changed around to accomodate them.
We still have all of our Christmas decorations up. I mean both of them. Lights on our ficus tree and a paper wreath that Youngest made for Wifey. Maybe they’ll stay until Valentine’s.
I really hope you are feeling better! Your description about the artifical tree is exactly why I won’t buy one….for now at least. What a pain! Hope you had a great weekend! :wave: