I read ADHD blogs and chat rooms. Every year I coach at least one or two clients around this. I know how this ADHD Christmas decoration thing works.
With ADHD in the picture, the Christmas decorations stay up WAY into the New Year. Sometimes into February or March. Poor things all dusty and covered in cobwebs.

The outside lights stay up for months, twinkling happily, practically announcing to the world, “My Family has ADHD!”

Or, if the decorations do get taken down, they never quite get put away.

The boxes and bins sit in the living room or hallway for weeks or months after Christmas is over. Usually, until company is coming and then everything gets stashed away.

Personally, if you liked it that way, I really wouldn’t care about the decorations sitting out.

Notice I said if YOU LIKED IT THAT WAY.

I think I’ve only ever met one or two people who keep their house in Christmas mode until Spring because they like it.

Most people I’ve talked to hate it. Feel ashamed, in fact.

Also, the clutter is distracting.

So, let’s see if we can do something about this.

I’ve been giving it some thought, and I think there are a couple of reasons people with ADHD leave the Christmas decorations up way too long.

1. You don’t have an ADHD Christmas tradition to remind you to put Christmas away. The naturally organized people I know have a tradition, usually a date, that reminds them to undecorated. For some it’s December 26.I’m not naturally organized, but our tradition is to take down our decorations on January 1st while we watch football games until our eyes bleed. That’s also when the gifts still lingering under the tree are given homes and the wrapping paper is stuffed back into its box for another year.
2. You haven’t thought through the whole scope of the project. You think Christmas is over when the ornaments are off the tree and put back in the boxes. But that’s not really true, is it. Christmas isn’t done until the tree is out on the curb. The boxes are stashed where they live most of the year, and the furniture and knickknacks are back where they normally belong.

If you need an ADHD-friendly system for organizing Christmas decorations check out my last blog post: Organizing Christmas decorations the ADHD-friendly way

I understand how boring and overwhelming putting Christmas away can be. That’s one reason I do it while football is on to distract me. It’s also why we tend to put out fewer decorations than most folks. Simpler is easier.

So, here’s my question for you: if you aren’t happy having your Christmas decorations up way into the New Year, what will you do differently this year?

Join the thousands of others who are learning how to live successfully with ADHD!

FREE Weekly ADHD Success Newsletter about Living Easier with ADHD

I hate spam too. Your info will NEVER be shared, sold, or trade. Period.