For many years now we've started the New Year by taking down ALL the decorations, tree, cards etc on January 1st. The house is back to 'normal' and everything seems fresh and uncluttered. There's just a couple of Christmas bags in the corner with presents that need putting away [ours] or delivering 
.We started it after my dear old mum died shortly before Christmas. I had no heart for all the trappings and just wanted everything down as soon as was possible. I do it now to make a fresh start to the year. Does anyone leave them up until the 6th? I can't imagine now, going back to work and coming home to a house still bedecked with lights and tinsel.
crimson, you and I are alike in that, then! I was never sure whether it was the 5th or 6th, but after much faffing about on t'internet, have worked it out that it's the 6th. (I have two small knitted Christmas puddings that sit on a shelf on the bookcase....
)!
Maarelli, I'd be interested to know how you reached the conclusion that the right date is the 6th. I'm confused, because I always thought it was until a few years ago when someone told me that if you class Christmas day (night) as the first night, then 12th night would be the 5th and the decs are supposed to be down by then...
Ana, I have never learned how to cut and paste, unfortunately, but have looked it up again, and the confusion arises because in (many) years gone by a new day was thought to begin at the sunset of the previous day. Therefore when the sun 
goes down today, the second of Jan will end and the third will begin.
But...that would still make 12th night the 5th, albeit at sunset....
. It may be me - I drive DH to despair because I don't get his explanations...
Yes, that would be right, Ana. But according to that article (I just Googled 'When should I take down my Christmas Decorations' and read a thing by 'Hedgeend'), it explains that if you start counting from sunset at Christmas Eve, then you arrive at the evening of 6th January as per the newer way of counting. Oh - I know what I mean, but I can't get it down !
Don't some countries celebrate 12th night? That always seems to be on 6th January. Ours are coming down of 4th come what may as we are going out for lunch and then to the panto with 2 DGCs so might be too frazzled to start on the tree.
I like the idea of leaving something out, just in case, but I always seem to do that anyway. I tend to find things about May but we now have a permanent 'guardian' angel on the notice board in the kitchen!
Noooo! Surely that would be the 4th?
I'll find the article and try to inwardly digest it! 
Ana and Marelli - maybe a nice [fwine] would help. 
kitty - that would make it all the more difficult! Ana - Google it and it's the first one on the list. Doin' me 'ead in now! I'm just so superstitious, I mustn't take the chance !
jingle that might be 13th night and how unlcuky would that be - 13th night in 2013
jingle thinks it's the 6th as well!
Oh kitty....never thought of that....
I've always taken mine down on the 6th. No problem this year as I haven't got any up to take down 
I need to buy a calendar!
Yep. Saturday is 12th night.
You'd better do it on the 5th then! (12th night...)
Couldn't find yours, Marelli...but did find this:
Twelfth Night
So I'm sticking with the 5th!
When I wasnt a baa humbug and in my own home I would put the decs up around 19th then taken them down on the 5th so they were down before the 6th which is the 12 night I think
glass! We have to be definite about it, or some of us will have terrible bad luck for the rest of the year....
....oh.... I remember reading that same one last year, Ana. It's obviously not sunk in, though. I think last year I ended up taking them down on the evening of the 5th. So, after not having had a particularly unlucky 2012, I shall do the same this year, and take them down on Saturday night !
Took our decs down today, tree to the recycling depot. All quite forlorn now 
as my DD and DGC were here from NZ and helped decorate the house, now they've gone and so have the remnants of Christmas so feeling rather miserable (not helped by having a stinking, rotten head cold for the past week, moan/whimper). Never mind, onwards and upwards 
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