Heavy Metal

Only when I put my Christmas decorations away do I realize how much crap I truly have. Well, I shouldn't call it "crap" because I love all of it, but wowzah, do I have a bunch of shit! To beat the post Christmas blues I did the one thing that makes me happy AFTER Christmas...I hit the sales! And I'm not talking like the day after Christmas fight with screaming children in boiling hot stores kind of sale, I wait a few days. I went to Target on New Year's eve and you could have shot a canon through the place! Not a sole around, and while the Christmas section was picked through like the buffet at Sizzler on a Sunday afternoon, there were still great deals to be had. 70% off and I just couldn't resist, so I bought even more goodies for next year (just when Joe thought I was nuts for putting up seven trees this year and extending the train to zip around the entire living room). This is actually what I call "Post Christmas Therapy" because instead of feeling blue about packing up, I get revved up over all the red hot deals! Home Depot and Lowe's were also great stops on my shopping spree for inexpensive plastic containers (you can never have too many and, of course, I color code mine according to holiday) and, by the way, holiday items are even cheaper this week as retailers try to get rid of everything (also visit West Elm, Pottery Barn, Horchow, etc. on line for great discounts of up to 75% off!). I try to make the process of packing up a fun one, by re-packaging my ornaments and other decorations in new containers, playing Christmas music and, yes, talking to my ornaments (something best done alone) as I pack up and say goodbye. As the process evolves and my ornaments get tucked away I transition the Christmas music out, and my iTunes songs on (by the way, I take pictures of everything BEFORE packing them up so I know what ornaments are where. Vintage mercury balls get photographed, placed in a special container and the photo attached to the outside. That way, should the box move during the year I will know to use extra care when handling it). Inevitably after taking apart seven trees, our house looks like Christmas was murdered in every room. Last year I came up with this handy little idea to get all of the little broken bits, left over ornament hooks and other objects too hard to see...I use magnetic paint (purchased at the Home Depot for $9.99, also great for painting on a wall as a magnetic board for coupons, etc.) and paint two coats on the inside of a metal dustpan. Bye, bye tinsel...see ya next year!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Fifteen minutes to paint and dry. Taking down Christmas: DAYS
COST: A quart of magnetic paint at the Home Depot: $9.99
STRESS LEVEL: sad to say goodbye to Christmas, but happy knowing it will come again