The Christmas lights in Vienna are still up.  It’s the 10th of January.  Advent, Christmas, New Year’s and even the Epiphany have come and gone.  And yet, even the very orderly Austrians don’t seem to be in a hurry to take down the lights.

We had to take our tree down early this year.  By “early”, I mean almost a week ago.  And, in a house where Christmas trees typically threaten to be around for Valentine’s Day, it was a lot earlier than ever before.  That, along with the fact that we get our tree later than I’d like here in Austria, means we didn’t get enough of a chance to enjoy it.  We certainly didn’t have it around long enough to get tired of it.  I was sad to see it go.

So I’m glad that the lights are still up in the city.  I love them.  It makes it still feel a little like Christmas, and they help to brighten the evening streets that get dark so early.  They’ll be down soon, and we can carry on through the cold, dark winter until we can feel the difference of the lengthening days.  But I’m so glad to enjoy them just a little bit longer.  I’m in no hurry.