Fading christmas sparkles

December has been all consuming. And still I feel like I haven't been able to take it all in. The people, the glittering snow, decorations, lovely tasting food and beautiful presents - they where all there, and I really enjoyed them, but it's like I didn't manage to save all the impressions in my taste bank.

As I try to remember it all, and taste christmas all over again, I look over to all that is left of christmas in my house: A pine branch covered with lights and silver and white christmas decorations. I took it in after Dagmar, the hurricane, had tampered with our back yard and left giant pine branches on our snow covered lawn.

We had been to these christmas parties, several days in a row, and I felt just a little "anti climaxed", sitting down in our living room, lacking a christmas tree this year. It was at that moment I looked out and spotted the branches... This branch worked as the centre christmas decoration at our own, very tiny new years party, and it will be the last to go, when I, on this twelfth day of christmas, remove what is left of it all.

I'll work on taking it all in again though - in my mind. And even though it will look a bit faded, I'll keep it there, tasting it during the dark and cold winter nights I know will follow this wonderful christmas month.