In this Issue:

Nativity, Maysville, moves forward undr Kibler, Kilbourn-Huey

Episcopal Church Breaks ground for a new building

Lewis and Narnia: Episcopal Heritage

Seed Planting

Out of Deep Waters: Second line brings new life to New Orleans

Commentaries

From the Bishop: The Yearnings of our hearts

Reflection: ...and Christmas comes once more

X-ercizing: Packing and unpacking Christmas

Diocesan Calendar

Past Issues

X-ercizing: Packing and unpacking Christmas

By Steve Walton

Last year my Christmas tree was up until February. There are two reasons for this. 1) I love Christmas and I hate to see it come to an end. 2) It is a hassle to take down the tree and put it away.

Putting up the tree is work. It involves dragging many big boxes out of several closets. It involves rearranging closets to accommodate the tree going up. Everything gets moved around and reshuffl ed. Decorations that are normally out go away, others moved around, and a whole new set of items get unwrapped, dusted off and placed precisely. Furniture moves, causing more things to move. Day two of “Christmastown Village renovation” has my apartment looking like an Elf ’s flophouse. Boxes and tissue paper are everywhere. Stuff is all over the floor. Every surface is covered with seemingly no order. At some point I can be found standing in my pajamas with my hands in my hair, looking bewildered, and mumbling to myself.

Day three has things looking good. Day four it is finished. Day five has me claiming it went better than last year.

Putting up the tree is work, but it is work I enjoy and have fun doing.

Taking down the tree is work I dread and put off until there is no choice. Several years ago I left the tree up all year.

As preparations for decorating were beginning, I started getting things out of the soon-to-be blocked closet. Pulling out everything I would need through Advent and Christmas, my birthday and the wedding, New Year’s and our honeymoon. Jessica said to be honest and take out anything I would need to use from the closet until Spring.

I pledged to her that I would take the tree down before Valentine’s Day. And if not, she could decorate it with hearts and pink ribbon.

There is a reward for decorating for Advent and Christmas – a festive environment, holiday cheer, and warm feelings. There is no pay-off for un-decorating. It is just back to normal (and at my house the ability to use a closet that gets blocked by the tree).

After I took the tree down in February last year, I confessed to some friends – they laughed and admitted they had just taken down theirs the weekend before.

Over the course of a Saturday afternoon I found there exists a large number of Episcopalians who don’t get around to taking their trees down until early February.

Maybe it is about busy schedules and over-booked lives. Maybe it is about too much work, too many chores, and too little down time.

I know, for me, part of the reason I delay taking down the tree is that I don’t want to put Christmas away. I don’t want the magic to be over.

Advent and Christmas are such a time of joy and anticipation – it makes me sad to pack it up, shove it away in a closet, and go back to “normal” life.

Last year I made a pledge to myself (and God) to experience Advent more. I didn’t get so bogged down with preparing for Christmas that I forgot to prepare for Christmas (the birth of our Savior). It was one of my best Christmases because I lived into the season.

So this year I’m not going to pack Christmas up and put it away. I will (eventually) take down the tree and pack up the ornaments and decorations. But…

This year I’m going to live into Christmas – even after the season is over.

Steve can be reached at xersizing@yahoo.com.

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