This time of year is great for so many, however it is still the worst part of the year for me. I usually start to get depressed after Halloween and it leaves about Jan 15 or so. Gets better every year but not fun yet. You have so much to be happy for it helps me get out of my funk. Thanks for posting pictures.

Beautiful and interesting post. I began to embrace minimalism many years ago, well before it became the "thing" it is now. When I divorced, I gave the ex everything. When she sold the house a few years later and gave me some family stuff, I waited until my kids were adult and gave it to them with only one request: They were under no obligation or expectation to keep any of it. Keep it, use it, give it away, it is up to you. I was able to do that by internalizing that memories aren't in my possessions, they are in me. I am an outlier, but find it liberating.

What a lovely way to relinquish a cherished item!

You did a grey job and I’m sure they will be cherished for a long time.

Steps must be taken to preserve that which is dear. Good luck.

My mom hand knitted most of the stockings I hang every year. Since my family gathers at my house every Christmas, they will remain here until I am no longer in this house. Even though I am not a Christmas fan (too many bad events in my life happened around Christmas time), my sister, now with the help of her husband decorate when they get here. So I can still enjoy the happier memories.

I was active in the voluntary simplicity movement and went to lots of workshops. Usually, I was the sole male among a lot of females (women's issue were mostly about things and men's were about time. If men had the time they usually didn't need to go to the workshops). Anyway, one activity was to get a piece of paper and make 3 columns; one labeled necessities one labeled would likes and one being luxuries. One thing that was mentioned was photographs. Most put this item in either necessities or wants. One woman put it in the luxury column. She explained her house burnt down and she lost all her photographs. That put things in perspective for her. Later many friends and relatives came forth with duplicate photos and she got many of the ones she had lost.

When we moved and downsized my late partner said the boxes of photos had to go (she had very few and believed memories are in the mind not on some piece of paper. I decided to compromise and bought a scanner and scanned everything. I made a huge discovery: Many of the photos were duplicates, faded, blurry or of nothing important. As having some training in archival work I was able to take what was left and assign a date and title to them. Whereas before they were simply piles in boxes now they are readily accessible and in order and I can access any picture at any time.

Another thing she did was to let her kids know if they wanted anything that had memories for them they were to claim them otherwise she would toss them. They knew she was serious and we were lightened by several boxes. After her death there was no fighting over who gets what.

A final thing she/I did was to go through items and see what we had used and what we had not. Sometimes if we acquired one new item we got rid of one (or 2) old items. The idea of hoarding was something we wanted to avoid at all costs.