WHAT GOES UP, MUST COME DOWN

Christmas Tree 2014

It's officially 2015.  You probably had a late night - staying up well past midnight. You woke up late feeling lazy, tired and lethargic.  You could easily stay in bed, sit on the sofa in your pj's and watch back to back episodes of your favourite show (NCIS Season 11 might be nice).  And then you turn your head and look at the Christmas Tree.  Once shiny and bright, it's looking jaded and needs to be tidied away.  That's probably going to be a job for tomorrow.

It's tiring even thinking about it - but 'what goes up, must come down'.  And it's time for it to come down.  Here's a few tips:

Taking down the Christmas Tree

1) Find a large and sturdy box and label it 'Christmas' along with bubble wrap, tissue paper, label, parcel tape, a notepad and your diary (Every homemaker MUST have a diary).

2) Put on some relaxing music, something soothing after the late nights to help you get this job done.

3) First take off any 'edible' decorations that have not been eaten and throw these in the food recycling bin.

4) Check the decorations - discard those that are broken, scratched beyond repair or those that have seen better days, except those with sentimental value.

5) Remove the tinsel from the trees and place at the bottom of your box.  

6) Package the decorations that you are going to keep in tissue paper and/or bubble wrap and place them carefully on top of the tinsel.

7) Before you take off any lights you have on the tree, switch them them and check if any of the bulbs need replacing.  If so, make a note of this and place in the box and also put the information in your diary for the beginning of November 2015, so that you can purchase any bulbs prior to buying your tree. Carefully wrap all the lights up and place on the top of the box.  Seal with packing tape.  Label the box and place in loft or a dark cupboard.

8) If you have an artificial tree, then dust off, ensure that all the branches are flattened and replace in the original box with all of the legs or the stand. Place next to the 'Christmas' box.

9) If you have a real tree, then you should ring your local council who will advise you how to 

dispose of it correctly.  

10) Arrange over the weekend to dispose of the 'real' tree - the sooner, the better.

TIP OF THE DAY

When you take down the tree, take down the Christmas cards and decide whether you want to recycle them or not.  But before you do that, write a list at the back of your diary of all the people who sent you cards that you might want to send cards to next year.  Also, if you weren't able to send them a Christmas card, write a thank you card to them along with the thank you cards to those who have given you gifts over the Christmas season.  Don't forget now!

Happy Homemaking!!!