Your Holiday Decorations Are Still Up and That’s OK

On a run yesterday I passed a neighbor’s house that not only had their holiday decorations and Christmas lights still hanging from the soffits, eaves, and gutters of their home, but the lights were also lit. My first thought was “It’s mid-January!” However, I gave it more thought as I continued my trek and came to the conclusion that I really don’t have a problem with that.

The Epiphany aka Little Christmas on January 6^th has come and gone. This time of year in New Jersey, we have that depressing chore of de-Christmasing our homes. This includes packing away the Christmas tree, but if you haven’t done so already, don’t.

If you want to keep your sanity and reduce stress, I recommend that you consider keeping your tree set up for as long as possible. I have a cousin and a couple of friends who never take down their trees. Of course, it must be an artificial tree. They’ll redecorate it with different ornaments for each holiday like Valentine's Day and Easter to keep their house festive all the time.

There is a good reason for keeping the spirit going much longer than traditionally expected. This isn’t just a few stray crazy Christmas zealots. There are many folks following this trend including professional home decorators. They are resisting the way it’s always been done and choosing to never take down their trees.

WSJ.com cites decorator Cynthia Chamble who says "There's always something to celebrate," and spends hundreds keeping her tree looking festive through every holiday and season.” It can include themes for summer or have historical figures to commemorate Black History Month.

Some people use it as a way to memorialize a late family member around their birthday or the anniversary of their death. I’m not sure I’d be going that route, but I certainly am not going to judge something that makes someone happy.

If you try it you may find that it will help keep you in a positive and happy mood. Either way, it’s worth a try. My wife and I (mostly my wife) decided that we were giving it a shot. We have two trees and will only keep the smaller one up to see if we like it.

I think it’s worth repeating that if you’re going to try it to avoid the yearly chore, it must be an artificial tree. That positive mood-boosting effect will be reversed when your real tree dies and becomes a fire hazard.

I know that a lot of people are totally against this, but I respectfully disagree. I salute my neighbor who is still turning on those Christmas lights every night. However, you’ve got to put away those inflatable holiday decorations and other tacky lawn ornamentation.

I don't know about you, but I hate January. It's cold, it's dark, and, unless you have a birthday this month, there's usually not a whole lot going on. To me, January has always felt like just a month-long hangover. We just had all the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving then the winter holidays and then the New Year. And then boom, here we are. A whole bunch of nothing.

Generally, this is the time of year when we should be slowing down and resting. I'd guess that's the reason for the complete slowdown this month. The trees don't create new buds right now, so why should we be starting new things? But it gets boring and we still need to do things to pass the time.

So if you've started this January off feeling completely uninspired, don't worry, you're not alone. I put together a list of things you could try that might make the cold of this month move by just a little bit faster. I know I'll certainly be doing a few of these. And if none of these pique your fancy, that's ok. Maybe just take a nap, it's a great time of year for it.

So far, in 2025, I've read 4 books. You don't have to do it like that. But, nothing makes me feel cozier than putting on my fuzzy socks, making a cup of Earl Grey tea, and reading a really good book. So I'll always recommend it, especially this time of year.

I'll be honest, planning my next vacation is usually a February thing for me. But I'll do it in January if the winter blues really get to me early. Researching warm places and then booking tickets to those warm places really helps get me through the winter. Maybe it'll help you too. Plus, there's the added bonus of having something to look forward to.

Everybody I know who spends their winters either skiing or snowboarding absolutely love the winter. And you know what they say, time flies when you're having fun.

The one thing I genuinely like about January is that we are in the heart of soup and stew season. Your comfort meal of choice doesn't have to be soup, but the cold is a great excuse to eat your favorite comfort meal more than you normally might.

When it's so cold out and I feel like I'm stuck inside, I like to spend some time writing down all the things I'm grateful for. That especially include the sun and summertime :) but honestly, feeling stuck is the best time to practice gratitude for the people and things you do currently have. It makes the winter feel a little less blue when I can see on paper just how full my life is, even in the freezing cold.

This one feels kind of obvious, but connecting with loved ones always makes the time go faster and warms the soul. Have a movie night, try a new restaurant, or just hang out.

If you don't mind splurging on yourself a bit, book some time at the spa. Get a massage and use the sauna. It's a great time for rest and relaxation, after the bustle of the holidays. So go recharge, you deserve it.