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Please could someone tell me when the decorations should be taken down?

(160 Posts)
phoenix Fri 28-Dec-18 19:32:42

You would think that at my age I should know this!

But every year we seem to go through the same thing!

Many thanks in advance,

Xxx

PECS Thu 03-Jan-19 13:18:05

mine went back into the boxes and cupboards yesterday! Ahh.. lovely to put them up..equally good to put them away!

Pittcity Thu 03-Jan-19 10:44:43

Does anyone remember the equation to work out how long you will keep hoovering up bits of tinsel?

Jalima1108 Thu 03-Jan-19 00:06:36

New Year is a good time for a cull!

lemongrove Thu 03-Jan-19 00:04:43

Jalima it’s time we had another book and dvd cull.....it has to be done!

mcem Thu 03-Jan-19 00:00:01

Well mine came down this afternoon and I'm awaiting a visit from GD or DS to heave them back up on top of the spare bedroom wardrobe!

Jalima1108 Wed 02-Jan-19 23:55:56

oh, the dreaded decorating …..
good luck!

I always resolve not to put everything back again but end up keeping it all

lemongrove Wed 02-Jan-19 23:22:43

Just the living room being painted, but we do have a lot of ‘stuff’ which needs to go into boxes.

lemongrove Wed 02-Jan-19 23:21:33

My decorations stay up until the 6th Jan and tbh I would allow another week really as the house looks so cosy, but we do need to get them packed away before the decorator arrives ( and then everything needs to be packed away)?

Jalima1108 Wed 02-Jan-19 22:55:05

I haven't finished my Magi yet
Too many bits to finish and sew up and stuff, anyway, I did read somewhere that they actually arrived a couple of years after the birth, so there is time yet!

Kalu Wed 02-Jan-19 18:29:09

No need to apologise Jalima. 25th December is when Santa visits to drop off presents for GDs.

May be time to let this go now as you, which is your personal choice, adhere to your traditions and my family to ours. Live and let live.

Gonegirl Wed 02-Jan-19 18:27:42

I read on the net that, as jollity on Christmas Day itself was frowned upon in days gone by, the twelve days start on the day after, ie Boxing Day. That makes it the 6th.

Yer pays yer money and yer takes yer pick.

phoenix Wed 02-Jan-19 18:19:43

The reason that I originally asked the question was because there always seems to be confusion as whether they should be down by midnight on the 5th or taken down on the 6th, i.e is the 5th twelfth night, or is it the 6th.

(Wish I hadn't asked now, mutter mutter, grumble moan, Phoenix shuffles off to put the shepherd's pie in the oven, even though the price of freshly minced shepherd's has gone through the roof, still, probably cheaper than ground Magi, if you could even find them, although Waitrose might have them, but even so I bet their crowns get stuck between your teeth, and there will always be some awkward git that says "Oh, sorry, I can't eat this, I've got Myrrh intolerance" )

Jalima1108 Wed 02-Jan-19 17:49:36

do not follow a Christian celebration.
sharing the magic and excitement of Christmas

sorry, perhaps that is what made me confused

Gonegirl Wed 02-Jan-19 17:22:03

But it's not thought to be bad luck to put them up before Christmas starts is it?

M0nica Wed 02-Jan-19 17:16:17

To be honest, religious or not, for years I have put decorations up and taken them down on dates that were convenient to me.

If the first day of Christmas is Christmas day, how many of the people getting their knickers in a twist about not taking them down until 12th night, refuse to put their decorations up until Christmas day. I doubt if anyone does. Decorations start going up in homes from the start of December.

Gonegirl Wed 02-Jan-19 17:07:22

Yes, but epiphany might not have anything to do with it. If you count up the twelve days, it comes to the fifth.

There is no easy way round this.

BlueBelle Wed 02-Jan-19 16:52:10

Ok mine are down window and plants back to normal carpet swept Lovely all back to normal
Taking them down on a certain day is a bit of a superstition I think

Our local wildlife parks have asked for all real Christmas trees not to throw them away

M0nica Wed 02-Jan-19 16:31:08

The date for the Epiphany is General Knowledge, even though religious. A bit like not having heard of Diwali or what time of the year it is.

Kalu Wed 02-Jan-19 15:55:39

Simply recycling Glenfinnan ?

DH has been to the tip this morning which he tells me is full of firs/spruce for recycling.

Glenfinnan Wed 02-Jan-19 15:49:12

Just finished taking mine down and re-reading the cards. Bin men come tomorrow! Husband despairs that I tear off the backs of cards for shopping lists!!

Mapleleaf Wed 02-Jan-19 15:29:20

Epiphany, 6th January, celebrates the arrival of the Wise men to the stable in Bethlehem where Jesus was born.

Kalu Wed 02-Jan-19 15:05:40

Quite easily Jalima We are not religious and do not follow a Christian celebration.

For ourDGs it is a magical, exciting time which we enjoy sharing with them.

I have heard people mention taking decorations down on 6th night but they did their thing and I did mine.

Jalima1108 Wed 02-Jan-19 14:58:24

No idea when epiphany was nor it’s meaning.

I thoroughly enjoy all the decorating bit and sharing the magic and excitement of Christmas

Kalu how can you know about Christmas and join in the celebrations but not know about Epiphany?

Kalu Wed 02-Jan-19 14:53:39

No idea when epiphany was nor it’s meaning.

Four more days to go until the thread finishes then?

phoenix Wed 02-Jan-19 14:52:29

Sorry MawBroon blush

Mr P has said that we will take them down on Sunday, apart from the fairy lights on the large (fake) ficus in the hall. We leave the lights on that permanently, although they are only turned on in the winter months.

We will then have the unenviable job of trying to sort the sitting room ready for the other sort of decorating, the type that involves paint!

Definitely NOT looking forward to that, it will be worth it once it's done, but, oh the chaos and disorder whilst it's happening!