(star, canvas, wine bottle, hurricane vases)

Hi everyone! How was your Christmas? I hope it was wonderful! I didn’t mean to take such an extended absence from blogging, but when I got home, opening my laptop just didn’t feel right. I had a very lazy Christmas with my family that included walking the dogs, watching Christmas movies, making lasagna, and knitting a lot of scarves! It was a wonderful, much-needed break from the real world.

Yesterday I was reading Dutch.British.Love. and it got me thinking. Like Jadyn, I never take my Christmas decorations down right away. For me, the lights and decorations are so magical, and it’s sad to see that go away.

In Louisiana, it’s somewhat of a tradition to keep your Christmas tree up until Mardi Gras. (I say “somewhat” because I’m not originally from here, and I’m not sure if it’s a widespread tradition or limited to just the handful of people I’ve heard of that do it.) Some people redecorate the tree with Mardi Gras beads; others just leave the tree as is.

Last year, I hopped on the bandwagon — any excuse to keep my tree up a little longer! I had planned to leave the tree as it was, but when I told my grandma about the tradition, she jumped at the chance to go to one of her favorite stores, Joann’s, and insisted that I redecorate my tree. They didn’t have any Mardi Gras decorations, but as we passed up and down aisles of Valentine’s Day and Easter decorations, I could see the wheels turning in her head. “Why don’t you just keep your tree up all year long and redecorate for different holidays?”

And so, a crazy idea was born. We finally found Mardi Gras decorations, and so it became a Mardi Gras tree, with beads, masks, and cute Mardi Gras fabric as a tree skirt. Then, it became a spring tree, with flowers, butterflies, and ribbon in bright, springy colors. We even added some chocolate (wrapped) bunnies and Easter eggs for an Easter touch. Redecorating the tree became a fun little project for when my family visited. I didn’t keep it lit regularly like I do during Christmas, but whenever I needed a little magic, it was there. It stayed up until I moved in July.

My tree is a small, potted, 4-footer, and in my old apartment, there was a perfect, out-of-the-way nook that seemed built specifically for it. But now that I’m sharing a new apartment with a roommate, there really isn’t a convenient place to keep it up all year long.

So instead, I think I’ll repurpose some of my Christmas lights to keep the magic alive all year long. I’m leaning toward the canvas with the lights poked through — there’s a place above my bed that would be perfect for this, and my headboard will hide the cords.

Did you enjoy your Christmas? How are you saving a little Christmas magic for the rest of the year?