# Best Time To Take Down The Christmas Tree? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 30, 2005, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683 "2005-12-30T04:25:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683/1 "2005-12-30T04:25:39Z")
When is the best time to take down the Christmas Tree? After Christmas but before the year ends? New Years Eve? New Years Day? After New Years Day? What? I’m looking for any superstitions you may have heard or practice. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683/2 "2005-12-30T04:34:03Z")
One tradition is to leave the tree up until _Twelfth Night_, the evening before Epiphany (6 January), since that’s the end of the Christmas liturgical season. Our tree had always started to look a bit dead by then though. I was just in the lobby of this building and they’re taking the trees down at the moment, since it’s the Friday afternoon before the New Year’s long weekend and by next Tuesday Christmas will long since have passed. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683/3 "2005-12-30T04:37:50Z")
We didn’t do a tree this year as we’ve had kind of a hectic OND and headed down to Phoenix for a long Christmas weekend, but I’ve always kept my tree up for the entire 12 days of Christmas, or until after January 6th. It usually comes down a couple of days after that. My family celebrates January 6th (Epiphany/ Three Kings Day, Little Christmas, etc.) and children are left a few small gifts again. Everyone eles in myfamily will leave their trees up until after that day as well. For that reason, we always were pretty late in going out to find a real tree, usually waiting until around Dec. 18th or so to pick one to enure it would still be fresh for Three Kings Day. I’m not very religious at all anymore, but I have to admit, it does make me a little sad seeing everyone take down their decorations and trees this week. Christmas just started! ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683/4 "2005-12-30T04:44:45Z")
I leave the tree up until 6th January. I’m always sick of the sight of it long before then but gotta hold to tradition. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683/5 "2005-12-30T04:59:42Z")
I took mine down the day after Christmas. My husband came home for lunch and most of Christmas was in a pile on the kitchen floor. We had a nooner, he went back to work, and upon returning home, Christmas was packed away neatly in bins and stored in the closet. Not a trace of it was left, except the stocking booty in the cupboard, and our new stuff neatly put away in it’s proper place. I was just tired of it. Before Christmas, it was beautiful; after Christmas, it just looked like a big mess. ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683/6 "2005-12-30T05:11:04Z")
February. It’s probably a fire hazard, but that seemed to be the tradition in my family. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683/7 "2005-12-30T05:17:14Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > I was just in the lobby of this building and they’re taking the trees down at the moment, since it’s the Friday afternoon before the New Year’s long weekend and by next Tuesday Christmas will long since have passed. Well, it is bush fire season there and the online news says you folks could have a hellofva season to boot. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683/8 "2005-12-30T05:28:36Z")
Ours came down the day after Christmas. It was taking up too much room. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/96bed5/32.png) [@Cat\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Jones)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683/9 "2005-12-30T10:22:39Z")
In the UK the rule of thumb is take it down on or by twelfth night to avoid bad luck. Our family tree doesn’t usually go up until about 3 or 4 days beofre Christmas so there is no problem keeping it up that “long”. When the parents still worked it would all be taken down the most convenient day bewteen New Year and 6th Jan. now it is actually on the 6th. In Ireland the date is the same but if you forget to take them down “in time” they have tp stay up all year ! Husband swears this has happened in his family and visitors/guests either don’t comment or just say something about missing twelfth night and accept it. In Poland the tradition was that decorations had to be taken down by Candlemas, which is around 2nd Feb I think. I actually found it a tad depressing still seeing trees and stars sparkling through the gloom of late January but knowing there was no family get together to look forward to. Don’t know if this has changed but the kids got little presents on Dec 6th, Sw Mikolaj (St. Nicolas) visits then, and that was when decorations started to go up but in general trees etc. appear much closer to 25th and so last longer than they might. France doesn’t seem to have much of a tradition - I’ve already seen a discarded tree this year, but you can see them right into February. A couple of years ago neighbours kept their tree up until March becuase the pet rabbit liked hiding under it ! Christmas cards aren’t really done here either, they send Happy New Year cards instead. ---
**Author:** ![ladybug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@ladybug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladybug)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683/10 "2005-12-30T15:29:22Z")
My parents plan to take everything down on January 2. Fortunately I’ll be on the road that day. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683/11 "2005-12-30T15:37:17Z")
The best day to take down your Christmas tree is the day you can get everyone to come over and help you with it. It’s a lot of work! All that wrapping ornaments, and coiling lights, and carrying an eight foot tree out to the curb! And the sweeping. My god, the sweeping… Mine will probably come down Sunday. I don’t know what the problem with my tree was this year (although part of it could be that my daughter brought it home on December 4th!), but it’s not hydrating. The stand is full of water, and has been for a week, but the tree is so dry I’m afraid to turn on the lights. (Nothing takes the fun out of the season quite like firey death by fairy lights!) ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683/12 "2005-12-30T15:51:30Z")
I usually wait until the weekend after Russian Christmas (January 7). Since falls on a Saturday this year, the tree will likely come down Sunday the 8th. I don’t know why Russian Christmas is the cutoff. I’m not Russian and do not belong to the Orthodox Church, it’s just something my parents told me growing up was the right time to take it down. ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2005, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683/13 "2005-12-31T00:04:51Z")
I take mine down on January 3rd, my birthday. Always have, always will. ---
**Author:** ![Caprese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2005, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683/14 "2005-12-31T00:09:52Z")
**Maxx** That is a nice tradition. We usually take the tree down New Year’s Day, if not before. But I like the idea of Ephiphany. I used to have a neighbor who left the tree up through Valentine’s Day. They have an annual party then, and redecorate the tree with hearts. One year, the tree not only stayed very healthy, but actually put on new growth for Feb 14th. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683/15 "2005-12-31T21:43:02Z")
> [@jabiru](#): > > I leave the tree up until 6th January. I’m always sick of the sight of it long before then but gotta hold to tradition. That’s when we usually do it, but this year we have a real tree, and it is so dry… it will probably come down tomorrow. which makes me half ☹ but the other half of me is already sick of it. I think going against tradition bothers me more than taking the tree down. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2005, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683/16 "2005-12-31T21:50:58Z")
My MIL puts hers up the day after Thanksgiving and takes it down the day after Christmas. My mom takes hers down somewhere between Christmas and New Years. That’s what I would do, too, if I’d had a tree this year. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2005, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683/17 "2005-12-31T22:04:46Z")
I took mine down yesterday, right before the garbage men came. We just had a table top tree this year. Saves a lot of effort! ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2005, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683/18 "2005-12-31T22:53:11Z")
SWMBO insists on leaving it up until 01/06. If it were up to me, I’d put the thing up on the 23rd and take it down on 26th. Truth to tell, if it were really up to me, I’d have an aluminum tree about two feet tall and set it on the end table. Just remember the old Twisted Christmas song: “The first thing at Christmas that’s such a pain to me, is finding a Christmas tree…” ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2006, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683/19 "2006-01-01T03:49:21Z")
> [@Casey1505](#): > > I usually wait until the weekend after Russian Christmas (January 7). Since falls on a Saturday this year, the tree will likely come down Sunday the 8th. I don’t know why Russian Christmas is the cutoff. I’m not Russian and do not belong to the Orthodox Church, it’s just something my parents told me growing up was the right time to take it down. That’s what’s always done in my family, my dad’s side _is_ Russian. The cats always liked it! I’ve put up exactly one tree on my own, a little live one the Christmas I was married. It stuck around the apartment longer than the husband did! ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2006, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683/20 "2006-01-01T05:28:17Z")
My tree has been up for 3 years,1 month and counting. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-time-to-take-down-the-christmas-tree/337683.md?page=2)