on forgetting christmas

I've let Christmas go quite early this year. At the turn of the new year I began packing things up and decidedly not turning on the lights on the tree. Then, of course the ornaments began to go while on the phone to a friend. I've let Christmas go quite easily though lamenting it's loss none-the-less. It is my favorite time of year and one month of wonderfulness is never enough even though I know I just have to wait 11 more. But, so much could happen in those eleven months to ruin or spoil the magic of the Christmas past or even, yet, keep it from coming altogether.

The tree is gone, the jingle bells taken down and even with the plastic lids of the storage boxes snapped shut I look up to see shiny little packages and glittery red star garlands hanging from the window treatments. Oh Christmas, I knew you couldn 't let go either.