Yesterday we took down the tree and put away the decorations and the crib after the children had gone to bed. It struck me that this was a sorry contrast to the gleeful decorating before Christmas. All the preparations are family affairs but the dismantling of the Christmas paraphernalia is done by parents and Christmas sneaks off like a thief in the night. And then, the next year it is re-discovered when the boxes come down from the attic. Like magic.