Taking down the Christmas tree is not about ending the winter celebration, but about safely storing until next year your holiday tree and accessories, ensuring that they will stay protected and ready to brighten your celebration next year. Storing your artificial tree upright and decorated has become popular if you have the indoor space. It’s a great way to save time and effort next year. Take off and store your precious ornaments first. Then carefully wrap a roll of grocery store plastic roll, holding everything in place. Or you could use a standup tree bag which you put under the tree before you decorate it. Take off all the ornaments before storing. Replace all burnt-out lights before you store the strings. Coil each strand and put in a sealable plastic bag, label the bag, and where it is used. Group the bags in a marked storage container. Put delicate ornaments in egg cartons or sectioned boxes. Or wrap each one in a coffee filter and store in bins with lids, labeled by room they will be used in so you can unpack them in the order/room you want. 

Once your amaryllis bulbs stop flowering, it is not necessary to discard. Cut the old flowers from the stem and allow the leaves to develop further. Water regularly and add some house plant fertilizer to the water. In late August/early September, gradually reduce watering. Stop watering all together in October. Allow bulb to rest in a cool, dry, dark place for a couple months. Remove all old soil and dried roots. Pot the bulb again in a pot with a drain hole, using nutritious potting compost. Plant the bulbs at intervals of two weeks to achieve continuous bloom during the winter months. 

Don’t forget to help our wild friends during cold weather. Leave some brush and tree branches for them to hide in. Christmas trees and branches work well for this. You can put out uncooked oats, cereal, cooked brown rice, soaked dog kibble, wet dog or cat food, baked potatoes, suet blocks, bird cakes, raw peanuts, walnuts and others, sunflower seeds, and wild bird seed. They need water, too. Bread is better than nothing at all.