Twelve Days of Christmas: Day 12, Putting Away Christmas (with a little help from Dr. Suess)

We are packing away the ribbons and tags; storing packages, boxes, and bags.

In other words, we are putting away Christmas.

Jonathan and Timothy take down the ornaments from the tree and place them on the kitchen table so I can put them in the storage boxes. Back and forth they carry ornaments, from tree to table. We have a lot of ornaments on the tree.

Then, Timothy accidentally breaks one, glass shards scattering across the floor. But that's okay. EVERY year someone breaks an ornament, so it's almost a tradition.

Joe pulls off the lights, and coils them carefully because we replaced ALL the lights this year and so they should be good for another year or two. Maybe. If we're lucky.

As I watch all the vestiges of Christmas disappear, it dawns on me how we are basically undoing everything we did a month ago. The tree that went up, is now coming down. The nativity sets, garland, and stockings that were on display, are not hidden away.

All that fuss, and just like that it's over.

But then I reach for a Christmas signboard propped in a corner. Painted on its surface are the Three Wise Men with the words, "REJOICE in the gifts of the season."

Rejoice. In the gifts.

The gifts of the Magi, the angels' Alleluia, the shepherds' witness, and the Christ child in a manger. The gifts of faith, peace, goodwill, forgiveness, and salvation for all mankind until the end of time.

These Christmas gifts don't go away to reappear one time a year.

So yes, we clear away the trimmings of Christmas--the things that made the season sparkly, cozy, and exciting! We store away the ribbons and tags, packages, boxes, and bows.

But we're not putting away Christmas.

Not at all.

It's here just the same.