2nd jan, always used to leave it till 6th January but once New Year is over with I like to get everything back to 'normal', well our version of normal anyway
Another 12th night person. Always put them up the weekend before Chrisrmas and take them down on the 6th of January but it's not so much 'decorations' as a tree, cards, wreath and other bits and pieces dotted around. Does anyone still hang chains, balloons and stuff from the ceiling?
I don't understand people who take their tree etc. down before New Year. I always consider Hogmanay and NYD as part of the "Christmas holiday", so it would seem strange celebrating those without the tree in the room.
I usually put my cards and decorations away on December 30th. This way I can enjoy New Year without reminders of Christmas and avoid risking a double anticlimax afterwards.
I cannot understand people who leave them up until January 6th for the 12 days of Christmas. You see, they usually have the decorations up by December 13th, which means they represent not 12 but 24 days of Christmas!
Ours comes down on the 2nd Jan.
One thing I can't understand is the city council street decs staying up so long, there usually still up till the end of Feb here.
As a young child (and with a half-Italian Catholic mother) it still felt like Christmas in our house until 6th January, but the build-up didn't really start until mid-December. The decorations were up, the tree was up, the candles were lit at meal time and Christmas carols and music were played.
That's how things are done in most continental countries, where Christmas is in full swing until the day after the Epiphany.
It was only when my parents separated when I was 11 that it occurred to me that anyone else did things differently. I was living with my atheist father who seemed eager to take the decorations down by about the 28th, and was already referring to Christmas in the past tense by Boxing Day (the reality is, it's only just begun, as the Slade song says). I persuaded him to leave them up, though.
Now I'm on my own, I do things pretty much as I did as a child. I don't really give Christmas much thought until advent, then the decorations go up around the 15th December and come down on 6th January. I don't have a problem with singing or listening to Christmas carols until after the Epiphany either.
If you start your build-up at the end of August, it's no wonder you're sick of Christmas by Boxing Day. I wish this country was more like Italy and Spain over Christmas, really.
Merry Christmas everybody!
On the 6th January, which I believe is the twelfth day of Christmas (even though I can't get the maths to work)
The traditional time to take them down is the twelfth night which is the evening of the 5th January... in olden days (before a day was classed as starting at midnight), a day was considered to start following sunset of the previous day, and Christmas Eve was considered to be the start of Christmas itself (Eve meaning Evening). Twelve days forward from then is the evening of January 5th, not the 6th...
As my daughters birthday is on 6th January, i like to take tree and stuff down a few days before to try and make her birthday her own special occasion, if that makes sense!
I normally take my down when the kids go back to school but they don't go back til 6th Jan next term so will have to do it with the kids under foot arghhhhhh!!
Can't understand wanting to take them down before new year new year is still 'christmassy' to me. After that though they start to depress me a bit:(
I always take them down by 12th night which is 5th January and the traditional time to take them down.
However, it there is a particular reason why I know I can't take them down that day, then I always take them down before then. This year we are going to be out on 5th, so they will come down on 4th Jan.
I am always sorry to see them come down, the room looks bare for a few days after that.
Like a few others on here I didn't even put my tree up this year, not even sure why. I have 1 set of lights up but that's it, the Xmas cards are even in a pile on my table and I usually decorate the hall with them.
Comments
I realised this year that the anticipation for Christmas and the day itself are what I like. Once we get to the 26th I want to get back to normal.
I think this is probably the favourite date and reason. Although I couldn't be arsed to turn on the outside lights today.
Are you jehovas witness then?
I cannot understand people who leave them up until January 6th for the 12 days of Christmas. You see, they usually have the decorations up by December 13th, which means they represent not 12 but 24 days of Christmas!
One thing I can't understand is the city council street decs staying up so long, there usually still up till the end of Feb here.
That's how things are done in most continental countries, where Christmas is in full swing until the day after the Epiphany.
It was only when my parents separated when I was 11 that it occurred to me that anyone else did things differently. I was living with my atheist father who seemed eager to take the decorations down by about the 28th, and was already referring to Christmas in the past tense by Boxing Day (the reality is, it's only just begun, as the Slade song says). I persuaded him to leave them up, though.
Now I'm on my own, I do things pretty much as I did as a child. I don't really give Christmas much thought until advent, then the decorations go up around the 15th December and come down on 6th January. I don't have a problem with singing or listening to Christmas carols until after the Epiphany either.
If you start your build-up at the end of August, it's no wonder you're sick of Christmas by Boxing Day. I wish this country was more like Italy and Spain over Christmas, really.
Merry Christmas everybody!
Can't understand wanting to take them down before new year new year is still 'christmassy' to me. After that though they start to depress me a bit:(
Yeah, I do like to keep them up until the New Year.
It irks me when some people/shops still have theirs up two weeks into January though. I'm just sick of it all by then and longing for normalcy again.
However, it there is a particular reason why I know I can't take them down that day, then I always take them down before then. This year we are going to be out on 5th, so they will come down on 4th Jan.
I am always sorry to see them come down, the room looks bare for a few days after that.