Ok, I need a little discussion here. How long do these Christmas decorations stay up?
I used to be a stickler for maintaining the festivities through Epiphany, but now that the kids are mostly gone, I’m waffling. It seems to me today is as good a day as any to drag things back to the basement.
This year I’ve made a decent effort to sort through some of the decorations and clear a few boxes out. It should make getting it all back down there a bit easier.
Just let me know if I’m jumping the gun a bit.
An answer came back via Twitter that decorations should be down by St. Patrick’s Day. Given that information, I think I’m off the hook for today.
Lights, Santas, Reindeer, Pure Christmas stuff—January 2nd
Greenery, wreaths, running cedar or pine (do you have that ? ), etc.–when you tire of them
Tree–Anytime before New Year’s Day
Mistletoe–:Single—–Never
Married—-After next argument
I say take them down when you want. We’ll take down everything this coming Friday and Saturday. My parents used to put up everything right before Christmas Eve and leave it up through the Epiphany. Now I put it all up after Thanksgiving so take it down before school and routine resumes. I’m cleaning out closets this week so will be ready to have everything organized by this weekend. It always feels good to have some order in the house to start the new year!
Randy – that’s funny!
Pat, yes to order. I do love that feeling of having everything and everyone back into proper places/schedule when school resumes.
Like Pat’s parents, my mom said her folks used to get the tree on Dec. 24th and take it down Jan. 6th (which is the 12th day of Christmas, you know). When I was growing up, we usually put it up sooner and took it down Jan. 2 or so.
For us, when we were overseas, we took it down shortly before the kids went back to boarding school (so they could help). That would be sometime after New Year.
One year we left the inside lights up all year–made a great night light. We haven’t decided when we’re going to take them down yet for this year.
I say take them down when you want.
Well… I guess the question would be, for what reason are the decorations up?
– Religious?
– Family tradition?
– Just to mark the season?
– Just because everyone else does?
If religious, then some say after Epiphany, others Candlemas.
If not religious, then I’d say anytime after December 25th works
Just so long as you don’t have a brown Christmas wreath hanging outside, folks that do that drive me nuts!