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Decorations down and away!

(152 Posts)
Rosiebee Tue 01-Jan-13 21:48:41

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 blush.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.

Marelli Wed 02-Jan-13 17:10:19

moomin, you'll be feeling quite gloomy now - and surrounded by damp tissues too shock! Hope you soon feel much better. smile xx

numberplease Wed 02-Jan-13 17:10:01

We`ve done it on the 6th for the last 49 years, as did my grandma before me, so we`ll probably carry on the same. Never been all that lucky anyway, so a bit of bad luck won`t make much difference!

moomin Wed 02-Jan-13 16:54:32

Took our decs down today, tree to the recycling depot. All quite forlorn now sad 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 smile

Marelli Wed 02-Jan-13 16:42:38

....oh...confused. 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 grin!

nanapug Wed 02-Jan-13 16:15:43

Mine are coming down tomorrow. Would have been down before now but OH wouldn't let me for some reason. I love getting sorted and tend to have massive chuck outs at this time of year too. I love it...

Ana Wed 02-Jan-13 16:09:23

glass! We have to be definite about it, or some of us will have terrible bad luck for the rest of the year....shock wink

glassortwo Wed 02-Jan-13 15:37:28

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 hmm

Ana Wed 02-Jan-13 15:30:24

Couldn't find yours, Marelli...but did find this:
Twelfth Night

So I'm sticking with the 5th! wink

Ana Wed 02-Jan-13 15:17:52

You'd better do it on the 5th then! grin (12th night...)

jO5 Wed 02-Jan-13 14:59:56

Oh no! I've got to go out that day! [wrings hands in despair]

jO5 Wed 02-Jan-13 14:59:08

I need to buy a calendar!

Yep. Saturday is 12th night. blush

Gally Wed 02-Jan-13 14:46:03

I've always taken mine down on the 6th. No problem this year as I haven't got any up to take down grin

Marelli Wed 02-Jan-13 14:02:57

Oh kitty....never thought of that...confused.

Marelli Wed 02-Jan-13 14:02:12

jingle thinks it's the 6th as well! grin

kittylester Wed 02-Jan-13 14:00:55

jingle that might be 13th night and how unlcuky would that be - 13th night in 2013 wink

Marelli Wed 02-Jan-13 13:58:39

kitty - that would make it all the more difficult! grin 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 wink!

jO5 Wed 02-Jan-13 13:57:52

I am going to start on my other Christmas cake on Sunday (12th night).

kittylester Wed 02-Jan-13 13:55:35

Ana and Marelli - maybe a nice [fwine] would help. grin

Ana Wed 02-Jan-13 13:54:03

Noooo! Surely that would be the 4th? confused

I'll find the article and try to inwardly digest it! wink

kittylester Wed 02-Jan-13 13:52:57

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! blush

Marelli Wed 02-Jan-13 13:47:52

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 confused!

Ana Wed 02-Jan-13 13:12:23

But...that would still make 12th night the 5th, albeit at sunset....confused. It may be me - I drive DH to despair because I don't get his explanations...

Marelli Wed 02-Jan-13 13:06:41

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 hmm goes down today, the second of Jan will end and the third will begin.

Ana Wed 02-Jan-13 12:53:43

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...confused

Marelli Wed 02-Jan-13 11:54:33

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....hmm )!