I know some really efficient people who take down their holiday tree and decorations the day after Christmas.

I used to wait until at least January 7, the day after Epiphany. The 12 days of Christmas, after all, are said to run between Christmas Day and Epiphany.

However, in recent years – especially while enduring pandemic-related isolation, followed by more isolation while recovering from health issues – I’ve been reluctant to take the decorations down even in January. The lights create such a cheery mood during a gloomy time.

So during the height of the pandemic, I left everything up until just before Easter. Then, as Pete and I spent more than a year recovering from health issues, I decided, “Why take it all down on Easter?”

That’s when I began a new tradition – outfitting my sun room with an “Ordinary Time” theme, complete with tree, lights and decorations. The transition starts during Lent, with the process complete by Easter Sunday.

First I trade in the Christmas ornaments on the tree (above) for some bird and butterfly ornaments and cute little bows. For good measure, I add some ornaments featuring the wonderful cats that have graced my life. Colorful flowers complete the look.

Here’s a close-up of bird and butterfly ornaments on the tree.

I replace the Christmas wreath and red bows above the windows with a wreath full of spring/summer flowers and some sunshine-yellow bows.

In the rest of the sun room, I swap out the poinsettias and other Christmas decor for “growing season” flowers.

I exchange more Christmas decor for growing-season flowers in another corner of the sun room.

Still more flowers fill a third corner. Yes, that’s a cat bed in the chair.

Our kitties have often preferred the floor, however, especially if they could bake their little brains in a shaft of morning sunlight. Here, Champie (above) and Elizabeth (below) each had a talent for finding that perfect sunbeam.

The swing below is one of my favorite morning meditation spots when the weather warms up, especially if I can get a cute kitty to join me,

Above the door leading from the sun room into the living room is one of my favorite Bible verses.

Besides letting me keep the option of light in the room for rainy days, transitioning the decor has an added benefit. It gives me something constructive to do with my “spring fever” energy while I wait for the chance to work in the flower beds outside. (Soon!!) Since this is the first full week of Lent, it’s time for me to begin this year’s transition.

Meanwhile, here’s a panoramic view of my “Ordinary Time” sun room, as it looked for most of this past year, with all the “growing season” decor – and the lights blazing.

No time for gloom in this room!