It's beginning to look a lot like... Christmas?!?

3/26/10 Box of Christmas decorations, returned

Auntie Amanda has come up for the weekend to visit nephew Chase, but we roped her into our Great Christmas Downsize. She and Joanna spent several hours going through box after box of childhood baubles. The living room looked like a hurricane hit The Christmas Tree Shop, and they went back and forth between laughter and (near) tears as holiday memories flooded back.

They were also definitely in the giving spirit. I'd roughly estimate that for every item they saved, they set aside two to toss or give away. In the process, Amanda filled a box with some select childhood decorations she couldn't bear to part with, and she'll be taking it with her when she leaves.

We've still got many boxes to go, and then there's the challenge of how to get rid of some things that seem too good to trash. Those are challenges for another day.

As for today, we can hang our stockings on the mantle with a sense of yuletide pride. Progress has been made. Ho, ho, ho!