Why I Keep the Tree up in January

The holidays induce a lot of stress within me. There are numerous expectations and the threat of imperfection appears more unbearable than usual. After the hustle and bustle and it’s finally December 26, then begins the stretch of time to prepare for the new year with personal and business goals, a clean house, and last year’s goals tied up with strings.

Then what do we have? January. No holidays. No breaks. Just a cold bleak month until we can pretend Valentine’s Day is another reason to decorate and celebrate. So yes, I do leave my Christmas tree up during January.

I like to think of it as promoting the hygge attitude of soft-lighting and coziness. The white lights and the sparkly baubles make the month of January less boring. I may wrap up the other Christmas decorations, put away all the Santa hats and such, but the tree? The tree stays up.

You could argue that I could just hang fairy lights. I could light candles.I could buy winter decorations instead of having just Christmas decorations. But I have this winter-themed decorations, so who cares if some of them have Santa hats?

The tree brings an element of cozy. The space it takes up, the glittering and character ornaments placed where we want them. And of course, turning off all the house lights and turning on the tree lights when it’s time for some TV. The soft glow accompanying the cozy, sleepy, warm feelings we are trying to invoke.

It might be a new year, but the tree stays up until at least February/