Post Christmas clear up

What few tasteful decs I have have been removed today, apart from the cards. No one will be coming to see them so there's not much point really.
I've portioned up in foil, all the left over beef and lamb and put it in the freezer, and gave the chicken to my dd, along with other goodies.
All the cheeses are in the freezer too. I could have spent a lot less money and still have had plenty of food.

My decs come down when the last of the family have gone home -usually around d
28th Dec after a big family birthday party for one of the grandsons. Two Christmas trees are now outside after a good water and I can see a few bulb shoots sprouting in the garden ROLL ON SPRING!

Teetime, phew thank goodness, I'm not the only one! All the decs came down yesterday, love getting house back to normal. Can't wait now for all the food to be eaten up, just the way I am

I'm with you Teatime, can't wait to get all the Christmas clutter stowed away for another year and all the rich food leftovers are gone. Nice to get back to normality!

Always leave at least the wreath up until 12th Night- usually decs come down a day or 2 before but I don't put them up too early either.

Made 4 turkey & ham etc pies this afternoon for freezer & a stilton & walnut quiche.Made the soup yesterday & I have 4 large pots of stock too. I love the leftovers- this year's turkey was the best I have ever tasted thanks to our lovely butcher.

I can happily live off the remains of the cheese boards & sausage rolls until the New Year personally- well that & a few chocolates & the alcohol!!

Not a bauble, light, Santa or angel will come down here till 6 January (and even then I always leave a snow globe/light or two up year round). January is dark and dreary enough without taking all the twinkly things out of the equation . I don't normally put the decorations up until a week or two before Christmas, but they went up early this year for a family party on the 8th. I must admit the holly and ivy are looking a bit limp and sad, but they're up for the duration as well. I love Christmas, hate it when it ends.

No decs went up, so no clearing away. Cards are just about hanging on, I did take them off mantle/shelves yesterday to dust and was seriously tempted to bin them but new OH would moan, so a couple days reprieve.
Just used the last of the turkey, put some of the cheeses into the freezer, and only a few bits left in fridge. Going to have bubble & squeak for tonights meal so that'll be the end of veggies.
Just a piece of ham to try and find some use for, baked it this year and not enjoyed it so much.

decorations go up on the sunday around 12 december and stay up until 12th night - and, on odd occasions, have been up past that time [no bad luck happened on those occasions either].
love the decorations and hate the way the house looks bare and empty when they're taken down.
still got a pile of presents under the tree for my son, daughter in law and family when they come up tomorrow and another present for my friend when she comes on new year's eve.
so GOT to have the tree up for then!

The problem with the recent habit of decorations up for most of December is that they are jaded by Boxing day! 12 days of Christmas as a tradition is being lost!

I put our decs up as late as possible (depending on any entertaining we may be hosting) but not usually before 20th December and take them down just before 12th night as DH has a birthday on 4th!

I like to enjoy it all until twelfth night, love the lights and candles, it's so dull without them.
Hope your day improves Merlotgran, who would have pets ! I'm just hoovering up after my 3 dogs and a cat. Love them really.

Were off to Scotland for Hogmanay, so I've just taken the majority of decorations and tree down. My b'day is 11 th night so l like everything away by then.

It's taken me over 2 and a half hours, DH has just popped his head around the door and said, "don't they come down easily and quickly, ?" Bless him, it's that Christmas fairy again!

The day got off to a brilliant start (not!)

DH convinced himself the frying pan he was about to dry-fry some bacon in had a wobbly handle so he unscrewed it then decided he needed to go to the workshop because the threads needed cleaning
He then took up all the kitchen worktop putting it back together (after he eventually found the screw which he dropped, behind the dog's bed)

Jazz, the cat, decided she'd get in the way so I gave her a 'tempting treat' from her Christmas present. They're brightly coloured and obviously full of additives which she is not used to so after five minutes I heard that tell-tale sound of a cat about to be sick!!

I yelled at DH, who is definitely not light on his toes these days, to get out the way but too late.....projectile cat vomit all down his arm

After much cursing and getting in my way as I tried to grab the cat and put her outside so I could clean up the mess he decided to give the car a quick check over as it hasn't been anywhere for nearly a week.

Flat battery!!

GAH!

So do most people have dec's away before New Year? Does no-one see it as part of the whole season? No parties?
I wait until after children return to school then soon it's 12th night and everything goes away.

I've just cleared mine .... Only the tree and some candle lights remain. I'm trying to work out if I can get the tree up into the loft without removing the decorations! Bah Humbug etc ?????

My house is a small town house and its 3 bedroomed.But weve lived in it 35 years .aka all our married life.And so we have a lot of stuff.When the decs go up , which is never ever before the 14 dec.The place looks lovely , but so clutted in the small rooms , that i cant wait to take them down.If i had the big house i always wanted i wouldnt mind.But they always come fown every year on the 3rd jan

Just frozen the turkey in usable amounts, and there is turkey stock simmering for a bowl of soup tonight. It is smelling delicious. Just whizzed up all the left over veg and stuffing for bubble and squeak with an egg for lunch.

Still got the beef and ham to tackle. The beef is sirloin and seems too good for a cottage pie. Anyone got a good recipe for left over roast sirloin?

I love Christmas cheer, and seeing all the twinkling Christmas trees. However my flat is tiny and looks so cluttered. Last night I removed all decorations and cards but my tree is still twinkling outside the window.

Christmas was finally over for us last night when we came home from the family gathering. My tummy needs a couple of days to recover now! We start on the 24th as the Scandis do, so the wee DGD has enjoyed 4 whole days Christmas.

Some tidying up needs to happen now, and the decs will come down on the 2nd as we're hosting a New Years Day dinner for the local family.

Love the fairy lights but the cards are all looking a bit sad now. Tempted to have a good clear up but might look a bit miserable for our New Years Eve party. It will all come down on the 2nd. Still going through the leftovers - big pan of soup going on shortly.

Many young people I know, claiming to be OCD took their decs down on Boxing day. They weren't OCD when they put them up in November !!!

I only have a couple of bits to take down but will wait until twelth night, I wish I could find some sort of year round fairy light that suited my home, they are so pretty.

Still I have a cottage with a log fire so pretty Christmassy all year round if I choose it to be.

Ladies, I salute you and all your hard work and creativity.

I hope we have a decent summer to recover in and believe it is a Tuesday this year.........roll on the spring.

Love Christmas and hate when the decorations come down. The drive to work is boring at the best of times but at least the Christmas lights on made it a bit more interesting. January is the worst month of the year, dark, wet and depressing so bah humbug to those who say "oooh, I'm glad it's over and back to normal again".

I thought 12th night was the 6th January.

I have been ill with flu for ten days and haven't dared to look in my kitchen. The lounge and dining room don't look too bad.

School hol's of course!

Like lots of Scots I feel the 'season' isn't over until a couple of days after Hogmanay so dec's will stay in place until 12th Night. Tree went up at start of Advent.
Since so many youngsters pass my windows on the way to school I've made a point of having the tree lights on first thing to brighten up dark mornings and then again for 'hometime' and the rest of the evening (even now during schòl hol's).