Because it’s such a special holiday, we often try to spend Christmas with friends and family. After spending a few enjoyable holiday seasons with our loved ones, the memories of such good times build up, both in number and in stature, in our minds.

That, in turn, causes us to try to either re-create such memories or create more of them with those special people in our lives. In doing so, we sometimes go a little crazy.

Both spiritually and secularly, Christmas sometimes brings out the worst in us — or at least the saddest feelings.

Four stately, 20-foot-tall pine trees bordering Leon Knitt’s yard at 1612 N. Edgewood Drive were barely ankle high when Knitt planted them about 20 years ago.

Each tree owes its existence to Christmas trees Knitt took to the city in exchange for a seedling planted the next spring.

On Friday, nearly two decades later, Knitt hauled two balsam Christmas trees in the trunk of his car to Appleton’s yard waste site at 2625 E. Glendale Ave. Knitt left with a coupon saying he is eligible for two white spruce seedlings.

We have no set rule in our house for when we dismantle the Christmas tree, but after many years, I’ve reached this conclusion: The moment you walk through the room without noticing it, it’s time to kick the tree to the curb.

Christmas trees should stop you in your tracks, if not literally, then emotionally. The day that stops happening, what’s the point?

This puts me at some disagreement with my housemates, one of whom has the opinion a tree should stay up as long as possible. The practical translation of that would be, “Until I’m back at college and don’t have to deal with taking it down.”

Since the fall of the Soviet Union, January 7th has become an official national holiday. This is the date of the Russian Orthodox Christmas; Nativity of Christ; celebration. Many Orthodox Christian traditions have adopted December 25th for their Nativity or Christmas celebration which culminates with the observance of Theophany (Feast of the Manifestation), the Baptism of Our Lord, on January 6th; January 20th on the old calendar.

While most have long since taken down the Christmas tree and packed away the decorations, members of the Russian Orthodox Church Thursday began their Christmas celebration.

The Russian Orthodox will continue to celebrate the feast for eight days by giving gifts and visiting family and friends.

“Christmas Day is the beginning, where often it seems like the end,” Ephraim Willmarth, 34, a student at the seminary at Holy Trinity said.

The Russian Orthodox Church follows the Julian calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar. The Julian calendar’s Dec. 25 falls on Jan. 7 on the Gregorian calendar.