According To Tradition - Christmas Decorations

They're supposed to come down on Twelfth Night which is Jan 5th, but some people take them down on the 6th because that is the 12th night after Christmas. Confusing, eh? I think either day is acceptable in the circumstances.

Septimia

They're supposed to come down on Twelfth Night which is Jan 5th, but some people take them down on the 6th because that is the 12th night after Christmas. Confusing, eh? I think either day is acceptable in the circumstances.

Thank you ... I have read that too and it is certainly confusing!

I have also just read this, but not heard of this one before ......

Others believe that Christmas trees must be taken down before the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, or else you’ll be stuck carrying your baggage from last year into the new one.

The 6th January is Epiphany, when, I think, the 3 wise men were supposed to reach baby Jesus. This is why some prefer to keep their decorations up until that night.

If you have a crib, that can actually stay up until February, ie 40 days after Christmas Eve I seem to remember reading.

I’ve taken some decorations down, but others are remaining up until 12th night (6 Jan for me). The crib will go away then, too.

As per the other posts, to avoid bad luck; Christmas tree and decorations must be down by 12th night (5th January).
I'm feeling a bit pleased with myself as I took my door wreaths x2, 2 trees and decorations down today, packed them carefully in boxes and put them back in the loft.
As per another thread about fairy lights, I've put 1 little battery set of ice white lights into a nice vase and kept them in the living room - hope that doesn't bring bad luck? 🙈🤔

I’ve just looked up the 40 days after Christmas and it’s February 2nd, Candlemas. Decorations can stay up until then if you wish, as that’s the official end of the Christmas season.
It’s when Mary went to the temple to be purified, 40 days after giving birth, which was traditional at that time.

I believe our late Queen kept her decorations up until Candlemass.
I find it takes me a day or two to adjust to the bareness post decor.

Yes, I’ve heard that said, too keepcalmandcavachon.
I wonder if King Charles will continue that tradition?

I take mine down on 5th January, following my Mum’s tradition, to avoid bad luck. Of course when I was working I took them down on the weekend before the 5th. I’m sure it’s just a silly superstition but I’d rather not tempt fate! Leaving them up until Candlemas didn’t seem to cause the late Queen bad luck, unless you take into account the heartache caused by the marital and other problems of her children and Prince Harry.

I do not think it matters a toss when you take the Christmas decorations down. It used to be that you put them up on Christmas eve, that went with the fairies decades ago.

I am taking mine down at the rate of one room a day. Christmas was preceded by nearly 2 months when little cleaning was down because I was quite ill with with a respiratory bug. So yesterday I 'de-Christmassed' the kitchen and gave the room a thorough clean. Today it was the family room, tomorrow the hall and so forth.

By next week, i will be relaxed and calm sitting in a clean organised home.

Well, mine will be coming down on Saturday the 6th, as I am far too busy until then!

I have until January 13th as here in Sweden it is the 20th day/Tjugondedagens Knut where you traditionally "dance out" Christmas and plunder the Christmas tree of anything edible - before taking down the decorations.

As soon as it’s over
Mine came down on December 28th ohh er bad luck eh 🤣🤣

New Years Day here. I am not remotely religious and the solstice is more relevant to me. So I consider our decorations to be midwinter ones rather than Christmas. Some of the fairy lights will stay up for a few more weeks, until the darkness has passed.

Up on Christmas Eve here and down on 5th January usually. though they're coming down tomorrow this year as we're busy on Friday.
I was very pleased to find a bunch of British daffs in the shop - ready to brighten up the mantlepiece.

Cold

I have until January 13th as here in Sweden it is the 20th day/Tjugondedagens Knut where you traditionally "dance out" Christmas and plunder the Christmas tree of anything edible - before taking down the decorations.

That's interesting to know Cold.

Do they put their decorations up early in Sweden too?

As some people in the UK put theirs up in November.

My mother and other family members always took the trimmings down on 6th Jan and I was brought up to believe this is twelfth night. My family are Catholic and speaking to other Catholics they all adhere to 6th Jan. I have over the course of my life discovered that non Catholics believe 5th Jan to be twelfth night and that is when their trimmings come down.

6th January The Epiphany

Tradition in our family was up on Christmas Eve after cleaning the whole house and then take them down on Twelfth Night. I break with this, putting mine up the weekend before Christmas. I like them to be special for the 25th and if I put them up any earlier I would be tired of them. We all do what suits us but do not others find the over hype for so many weeks before takes away the magic of Christmas?

keepcalmandcavachon

I believe our late Queen kept her decorations up until Candlemass.
I find it takes me a day or two to adjust to the bareness post decor.

I love it, everywhere looks more minimal and tidy 🙂

HettyBetty

New Years Day here. I am not remotely religious and the solstice is more relevant to me. So I consider our decorations to be midwinter ones rather than Christmas. Some of the fairy lights will stay up for a few more weeks, until the darkness has passed.

Our fairy lights in the conservatory will stay there for a few more weeks because we like them.

Welshy

Cold

I have until January 13th as here in Sweden it is the 20th day/Tjugondedagens Knut where you traditionally "dance out" Christmas and plunder the Christmas tree of anything edible - before taking down the decorations.

That's interesting to know Cold.

Do they put their decorations up early in Sweden too?

As some people in the UK put theirs up in November.

In the rural area where I live it varies - either the first Sunday in Advent whenever that falls (December 3rd in 2023) or one calendar month before Christmas Eve, so November 24th.

I'm thinking of taking mine down tomorrow and having a good tidy up. If If I have the energy...

Almost always the 6th here, and I always hate getting rid of the tree, which still looks lovely.

We did do it a couple of days later a few years ago, since Gdc3 chose to be born on the 6th, so we had to zoom off to DD’s at very short notice in the early morning in order to look after the two elder, still only 3 and 4.