I untrimmed the tree this afternoon and put everything away. I have to say, for those given to the occasional fit of melancholy, the music of Ralph Vaughn Williams (especially "The Lark Ascending") is not the best accompaniment to an activity that may produce said melancholy. At one point, I found myself standing in front of the tree, with an ornament in my hand, wanting to - well, not wanting to cry, but wanting to sit down on the sofa. And not move. For a long time.

I did, however, force myself to finish the task (I left a few winter-but-not-necessarily-Christmas themed decorations up). Undecorating always makes me think of the end of W. H. Auden's Christmas "Oratorio", For the Time Being:

"Well, so that is that. Now we must dismantle the tree,
Putting the decorations back into their cardboard boxes --
Some have got broken -- and carrying them up to the attic.
The holly and mistletoe must be taken down and burnt,
And the children got ready for school. There are enough
Left-overs to do, warmed-up, for the rest of the week --
Not that we have much appetite, having drunk such a lot,
Stayed up so late, attempted -- quite unsuccessfully --
To love all of our relatives, and in general
Grossly overestimated our power. Once again
As in previous years we have seen the actual Vision and failed
To do more than entertain it as an agreeable
Possibility, once again we have sent Him away,
Begging though to remain His disobedient servant,...."

I don't much like the end of the holidays. And now it's the long slow slog, with only the occasional "civic" holiday (Martin Luther King's birthday) and holidays I don't celebrate (Valentine's day means nothing if you are over 18 and unattached...) with little festive until maybe my birthday at the end of February.

I promised myself that this weekend I will go and see if there are any amaryllis bulbs still for sale, and will get a couple and force them, so I have that to look forward to.