De-Christmasing?

I spent the greater portion of yesterday undoing what I did less than a month ago. Down came the tree, the ornaments were carefully sorted and boxed, the garland and lights on the banister circled into their big box with the hope they would light again next year. I looked around the house to make sure I didn't leave anything out, only to realize a week later that it had been there so long I had forgotten to notice it. (It's happened more than once.) The big adventure was trying to remember where I'd stashed all the china cabinet regulars when my reindeer collection vacated.

Then I emailed a friend about my day and said I had de-christmased the house. Somehow that didn't sound right, never mind that I had made up a new word, one of my favorite (just ask my editor) pastimes. Should it have been de-Christmased?

Now that really wasn't right. Even if we could forget the "reason for the Season" and the sacredness of the event, we can't forget the Christmas in our hearts. I might take down the christmas in my home, but I certainly should never seek to get rid of the Christmas in my heart and by extension, at my hearth.

So, I shall merely say, I undecorated the house. And kept the Christmas.