What's the Rush?

Can someone please explain to me why people are so quick to shut down Christmas?

It seems like everywhere I look people are bragging about taking the tree down and having everything packed up. People posting on BitchSlap FaceBook pictures of storage tubs filled to the brim with ornaments and anything that could possibly be construed as a Christmas artifact. I have even seen pictures of the empty spot where the tree once stood.


I JUST. DON'T. GET. IT. Maybe it's because growing up Christmas was an extended season in our house? We ALWAYS had a live tree. And we ALWAYS had an early family Christmas- just my parents, brother, sister and I.  We spent 17 hours going over the river, through the woods, on interstates and stranded at rest stops to grandparents houses to celebrate. With ALL of our extended family living in New York we averaged 5 Christmas celebrations while there.

Ours was not nearly this fancy. No wood paneling for us. A basic blue model sans a/c or radio was more our speed.

After nearly two action packed weeks of cousins, snowmobiling, snow forts and great memories my family of five would cram into the swagger wagon, crank up our walkmans and hit the road.

When we finally arrived home after 2 days trying to claw our way out of singing Kumbaya in perfect family harmony we raced into the house to see our tree still standing and our beloved presents underneath. Naturally Santa also left us a gift at our ol' Kentucky home. One year a pipe burst while we were away. We had a ultra cool sunken living room and came home to our presents floating..and our tree still standing.

As I type, I gaze at  our eight foot live White Pine in all it's glory -with the colored lights and each ornament with it's own story to tell. Around here we are proud to keep Christmas up until 2012, thankyouverymuch.

What about you? When does Christmas get boxed up at your place?