Spare Space

The tree is naked and shedding and waiting at the curbside for pickup. The ornaments and the Santa collection are boxed and returned to their hidey-hole under the stairs. I've swept and vacuumed up the pine needles, and the regular pictures and mantel tchotchkes are in their usual places.

The living room looks surprisingly bare after the excess of Christmas decorations. It's soothing to have this kind of clear space back in the room.

Our living room windows have no curtains (or window treatments, as they're currently called). I like looking out at the trees, even in their gray and brown bare state right now. The living room couch (with the afghan I knitted for my late mother 25 years ago) is my favorite place in the world, and the only things that make it better are a cup of tea, a good book, and a Hershey's Kiss.

While all the Christmas things were up, it wasn't quite as enjoyable. Too many visual distractions, perhaps. It's good to have some spare space again.