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Thread: When do you take your Christmas Decorations down?

  1. #1
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    When do you take your Christmas Decorations down?

    For me ... it has always been Twelfth Night or January 6th ... the beginning of Epiphany ....

    [B]The following is from Wikipedia. Where it says:
    January 6th is Three Kings Day. It is the beginning of Epiphany -- The celebration of the Jesus public appearance in the world. So Christmas is over.

    So Jan 6th is the end of the celebration of Christmas and so the decorations go down. Christmas starts several (4) weeks before the 25 with the lighting of the candles in the Advent wreath.

    So there we have it my friends: While some people take their tree and decorations down early for aesthetics or convenience, the Official Date is the 6th of January and the day of the Epiphany! (The twelfth Day of Christmas!)
    Last edited by ChristmasFairy; 01-02-2012 at 08:39 PM.

  2. #2
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    Are you a teensy bit superstitious? Or maybe you just like adhering to ye olde time-worn traditions? Well, turns out there's quite a bit of superstition and tradition associated with when to take down your Christmas tree. Yes, you can just pack your tree and all those glittery decorations whenever. But if you want to do things by the book, let one of the following dates be your guide:

    December 31: Take your tree down on New Year's Eve before the bells toll at midnight. Otherwise it's said you'll be dragging all your baggage and bad luck from 2009 into 2010 ... if you're superstitious about these things, that is.

    January 5: Take your tree down on this day, traditionally considered the Twelfth Day of Christmas – i.e. the last of twelve days of Christmas merriment. Think of it as getting closure on the Holiday season.

    January 6: Take it down on January 6 in observance of the Epiphany, a Christian holiday marking the revelation of God in human form, in the person of Jesus. Again, some would say leaving your tree up beyond the 5th or 6th brings bad luck.

    Can't get it together to dismantle everything by January 6? Don't feel bad! Instead, focus on the positive with this fun list of 10 reasons to keep your tree up into January (...or beyond?).


    Source

  3. #3
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    More superstition or tradition ?? LOL ... Which ever way one sees it I guess .......

    Why is it bad luck to leave the decorations up after Twelfth Night?


    Long ago it was thought that leaving the decorations up would cause a disaster. People believed that tree-spirits lived in the greenery (holy, ivy etc) they decorated their houses with. The greenery was brought into the house to provide a safe haven for the tree-spirits during the harsh midwinter days....

    Read more ....

  4. #4
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    The interesting part about all that is some of it is religious and some of it pagan in origin. Throughout history, most of the world has kind of "melded" the two together in various ways. Hence, you see such a variety of Christmas celebrations throughout the world. I always love to hear and read about how Christmas is celebrated in other places.

    To your original point though, we always keep our decorations up through New Years Day. Then, for the sake of convenience, we target the following weekend to take everything down and pack it away. That's simply because it's such a big job! Regardless though, New year's EVE is always the last evening I run my outdoor light display. Even if I haven't taken it down, I don't turn it on anymore after that.
    I love Outdoor Christmas Lights!!

  5. #5
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    (tree-spirits lived in the greenery ?) LOL
    i was gonna take mine down soon cause iam tired of it now .
    but YIKES lol i dont want no spirits coming 4 me
    LMAO.
    LM
    And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, Lying in a manger.
    - St. Luke ii.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by MinnesotaMike View Post
    To your original point though, we always keep our decorations up through New Years Day. Then, for the sake of convenience, we target the following weekend to take everything down and pack it away. That's simply because it's such a big job! Regardless though, New year's EVE is always the last evening I run my outdoor light display. Even if I haven't taken it down, I don't turn it on anymore after that.
    It is a huge job ... and the least enjoyable part of Christmas for me. Seems as if the decs weren't up long enough this time as I was so late in getting them done

    So this weekend out come the boxes again and sadly it all gets put away ... sigh !!

  7. #7
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    I usually start takuing them down on January 2nd. It takes me two or three days to get everything down and put away!
    I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

  8. #8
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    Christmas is over and in 3 days I have to find the courage to take my tree and all decorations down..
    Really sad monents, those are that I hate most, when Holidays are over.

    Well, I plan to start on Friday evening, hoping I will be through with this, until Saturday night.
    This year, I will leave all year long some wooden sticks with lights.
    Really good decoration and not necessary a Christmas one.

    Then, I m thinking of catching up with my Victorian Christmas puzzle, I had got last spring.
    Its a big one, 1000p and Im only done with the edges.

    That, will definitely put a little smile on my face, now, that Christmas is over.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    And so, as Tiny Tim observed, "God Bless us!! Everyone!!''
    A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens (1843)

  9. #9
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    Isn't it the case that if you leave your decs up past january the 6th The Goblins get you?
    So let the raucous sleigh bells jingle,
    Hail our dear old friend kris kringle,
    Driving his reindeer across the sky.
    Don't stand underneath when they fly by.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by The Mole View Post
    Isn't it the case that if you leave your decs up past january the 6th The Goblins get you?
    Yep ... goblins aka 'tree spirits' (See my post #3)......... Haha!!!

    Don't care if they do ... but gotta get these decs put away and stored properly and it's a huge job
    Last edited by ChristmasFairy; 01-03-2012 at 08:35 PM.

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