I've not yet reconciled my love for the holidays, in particular decorating the Christmas tree, with my absolute aversion to taking down that very same Christmas tree. I hate it. Hate it! But last night, after a few days of watching the tree limbs turn ever-downward and one after the other of the ornaments slide to the floor from their drying perches, I knew there was no more procrastinating.

My daughter was summoned to the living room and we began, first the ornaments, then the lights, then the taking the tree from the stand filled with scores of needles floating in brown water.

In the process, we broke a few ornaments and found others in a box that never even made it to the tree this year. How did that happen? It only took a few hours to get the tree outside and the ornaments boxed. But I've still got plenty of "Christmas''-marked cartons in the living room. The lights have yet to be properly strung into neat -- OK, semineat -- strands that won't complicate the tree trimming for Christmas 2012.

I suppose my reluctance to taking down the tree is the work it entails -- and the fact that I'm really not ready. It was a good holiday, but I wanted just a little more time to relax and enjoy the surroundings. And there wasn't much of that this year. Too much hurry up, celebrate and get back to normal.

That's why the window swags, Christmas wreath and red-and-white lights outside might just stay up for a while longer. They'll look great for Valentine's Day!