Taking Down the Christmas Tree

[Boo Boo]

When is the traditional day that one is supposed to take down the Xmas tree & decortations etc. by?

[Goodsoulette]

Epipany, 6th of January.

[Goodsoulette]

Although that depends on your denomination, some keep it up until 2nd of feb.

[weeal]

guess what everyones doin this weekend ?

[rabbitygirl]

I start taking stuff down around new year. I start with the cards, then gather a few more bits each day. It's not such a chore and the house doesn't suddenly lose it's Christmassy feel.
Leaving the tree till last means if it snows, as it looks as if it will tomorrow, still having the tree up makes up a little for never having a proper white Christmas.

[legend758duo]

Well epiphany is celebrated here on the 6th and 7th so tree down on the 8th.The 3 kings will be here sunday night.

[gallapunk]

My mum always put the tree up 12 days before Christmas Day and took it down 12 days after (which would be Epiphany then?). And you're right weeal: I'm taking mine down this weekend, too busy in the week to mess about with all that stuff.

[reinganum]

When I was growing up, the consensus was that decorations were taken down on twelfth night, i.e., tomorrow night, 5th January (before Epiphany on 6th).

The church I attended had a slightly different scheme: on Christmas Eve a Nativity scene with Holy Family, shepherds, animals, etc. was set up and was the focus for a carol service (mainly for children, in early evening). Then on January 6th (Epiphany) the shepherds and animals were removed and replaced with the Three Kings. These remained until Septuagesima (I think). (The date of Septuagesima varied with Easter but is normally in late January/early Feb and in any case it would have been dismantled before Candlemas (Feast of the Purification of BVM) on February 2nd.

[ginger85]

12th of january the tradition is 12 days before for up and 12 days after toput away