Boxing Day

Here in England (and South Africa, where I'm from) the day after Christmas is Boxing Day (click for Wikipedia link). It's a public holiday and today I am doing what I love to do on Boxing Day, the thing that shocks and appalls my friend Laura: I've taken down the Christmas tree, have packed away the decorations and am cleaning my house.

I know, I know, bah humbug and all that, and you're supposed to leave it up until after New Year (um, why?), blah blah blah ... but I'm like, "Right, Christmas is over, the tree has served its purpose (did Santa or did he not leave gifts under it? why yes he did) and it's time to get our house back to normal."



Besides, I get to clean in peace and quiet, uninterrupted because the children are happily playing with their new toys!



Is anyone else like me - pack everything away the day after Christmas? (In my defence, we have had the tree up since the first of December.) Or am I alone in this habit??