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.
Some friends seem to have had an Epiphany party at their church, going by their Facebook photos (this is in England). I also particularly like the parade my brother and his family have in their (Mediterranean) city. It starts from a warehouse near their flat and the leftover sweets from the floats usually get handed out to stray children near the warehouse. Much to my brother’s annoyance as their cupboards are full of last year’s!
I thought you meant epiphany in the Joycean sense, which would still work for your post. Shows how irreligious (or Scrooge-like) I’ve become.
Katie, yes, 6 January is very exciting in Spain, I think – though very low key here and I presume, generally in England.
Praxis, your parish priest would be appalled. Speaking of which, do you like Barbara Pym?
Yes, I do. Beautiful, funny books about a world so many other writers ignore. Are you discovering her?