Now What?

That is a common question that comes to mind even if it is not voiced just after Christmas. This is fairly common after events that had a lot of build up, and Christmas certainly has a lot of build up. From exchanging Christmas lists, decorating, shopping, making travel plans, cleaning the house if you are hosting the celebration and the anticipation of the event itself. So asking the question, “Now what?”, seems appropriate.

There are many parts to the “now what?”. There is what to do with all the decorations and when to do it. (In my wife’s case the answer is as long as possible after Christmas because she loves Christmas decorations.) There is what to do with all the cards and letters you received, to save or not to save, and if saving for how long? (What is the proper etiquette regarding Christmas card saving length?) There is what to do with the tree when you take it down, and out in the case of a real one. There is what to do with all the clog of needles that comes next. (This year we may have an alltime record of needle piles and therefore clogs.) There is what to do now that life is back to just your family and everyone else has gone back to their respective dwellings. There is what to do with the remainder of kids Christmas vacation. (Is it just me, or is it really only the adults who worry about this one?)

These are all legitimate concerns. There is another one that I want to address, that is the “what now?” of the Christmas story itself. What will you do with the Christmas story now that the 25th has passed? What will you do with the “Christmas spirit” now that it is no longer Christmas?

I believe that we should never “put away” the Christmas story or spirit. These are not to be packed in the basement with the other decorations. These are to be shared all year long. So what will you do with them as you put away the other symbols of Christmas this year? (By the way are we supposed to be recycling Christmas tree needles?)