Friday, December 28, 2007

Post hoc ergo propter hoc

We took our Christmas tree down tonight. Tomorrow I'll remove the wreaths from the windows and the candles from the window sills. We'll box it all up, poorly, and toss it in the attic with no particular order or reference. Much like the Grinch unloading Whoville.

Funny, putting the Christmas tree up is a joy in our house. It signals the season and we listen to Christmas music and talk about ornaments and joy is experienced by all. Taking it down is another story. It ends the season and we watch the news and toss ornaments in boxes and pretty much hose ourselves off of joy.

"After this, therefore because of this." An argument could be made that the hectic experience of taking the tree down is caused by putting the tree up. Makes sense, I guess. If we never put a living tree in our house, we would never experience the arboreus nightmare of removing said tree.

But they say that phrase itself is a 'logical fallacy'. Maybe there is more to it. Maybe the tree has nothing to do with it at all. Maybe we're just sad the Christmas season is over and the great, gray beast of winter is creeping in as we start a year all over again knowing we now have one less Christmas to enjoy. Maybe. Maybe not.

I think the hardship of cleaning up after Christmas is innate. I think that we want to hold on to that joy so hard and so long that we forget we can have it all year long. I know I do. Christmas joy doesn't fill me up in March or in August when it's 115 degrees but it can and it should. So next July, ask me about it. I'll probably say, "huh?". But remind me that I don't need a tree in my house to be filled with the Holy Christmas spirit.

3 comments:

George said...

Maybe it's not he taking down of the Christmas tree that brought on the blues, but rather the fact that you're about to turn 40. Maybe taking down the used-up, almost dead tree is sort of symbolic of something else. Crap, I started this as a means to pick on you, but since I turn 40 next week, now I'm sad too. I'm just a used up tree! Toss me out by the curb.

Kyle said...

When a tree turns 40, it's just getting started. You guys can look on the bright side and realize you're over halfway there. "It won't be as long as it has been", as my Uncle Johnny used to say.

Anonymous said...

you guys are old as dirt! Glad my b-day isn't until April.