Why would I be asking this question in August ? It seems one of the folks on the second floor of my building has just gotten around to it. I heard something hit the ground outside my deck, I’m on the ground floor, so I went to see what it was and sure enough it’s the brownest deadest tree I’ve ever seen.
So I ask you, what’s the longest you’ve ever waited ? Or seen someone else wait?
January 1st, the thing goes to the curb. Not a second later.
By the way, it goes up a week before Christmas.
We toss our tree no later than mid-January.
I’ve tossed the thing as late as mid-February. I didn’t use the lights much after the first of January though. It’s a bit of a fire hazard. 
What’s today’s date?
Seriously, mid-January.
[hijack] I just rode down to Myrtle Beach last week, and cruising down Highway 9, saw a house with icicle lights dangling from the gutters. It was only 1 or 2 strands, jeez, it’d taken a minute to take 'em down. [/hijack]
Anyway, before I got my fake one, we’d toss the thing out usually the first week of January, provided it wasn’t raining. I’ve got a fire pit out back, so me & the kids would haul it out there, and have a mini-bonfire with it.
You mean, you’re supposed to take down the tree every year???
Well let’s see…I’m 39 now, and I got the tree when I was 25…I spray painted it again last year…nailed on new branches two years ago…
It’ll probably have to go in another 5 years. 
For reality’s sake, early January.
When I have a “live” tree it comes down the day after christmas.
When I have a fake tree it usually stays up a few extra days.
I don’t like seeing the tree hang around and the cat likes to climb it and knock down its bulbs so the sooner I get rid of it the better.
There are people in my neighboorhood that still have their Christmas lights up!!!
Then there are other people who immediatly take down the Christmas decorations and put up Valentine stuff
In our house usually the 2nd or 3rd of Jan.
Have to have all the decorations put away before twelfth night or else it’s bad luck.
I wait till the second weekend of January, then I take my machete and chop the sucker up into pieces small enuf to fit the fireplace. I Throw out any needles that drop during the chopping. Makes a hellava fire. The stuf is like gasoline when it burns so I never put more than a few peices in at a time. I keep the peices well away from the fire incase one of the sparks (that always happens) gets away from my jedi like reflexes.
Well, June actually. That’s when my cousin has his annual x-mas tree burning. Last year we had 15 trees. They burn very brightly when they are that dry. I take it out of the house in January though. Maybe even late December.
How long do you keep your X-mas tree ?
About 6 feet - 7 feet at the most.
Oh…how long in time ???
When I get a Christmas tree, I buy a living tree. I keep it until New Year’s Day, and then try to find someone with a yard who is willing to take it and plant it.
I believe in living Christmas trees, and urge everyone to buy one and plant it after the holidays.
Generally, until around January 6. It looks a little tacky having a Christmas tree up halfway through Epiphany.
This years tree moved from the middle of the kitchen table to the back yard about the first of February. It’s growing nicely.
Until January 1st - but I put it up (I say “it”, it’s really “them”) on Thanksgiving Day. As in, I rip the Thanksgiving placemats from underneath my family’s plates and replace them with poinsetta mats, and shoo everyone away so that I can build the trees.
It’s a sickness, I know…but if I’m going to spend as much time as I do decorating for Christmas, I will enjoy it for as long as I can.
I should probably mention that I was raised in a fundamentalist religion that didn’t allow Christmas trees. So I’m making up for all those lost years!
Johnny L.A., I’ve never purchased a real tree - and had no idea they could be replanted! It always saddens me to see all the dead trees in the street come January.
Can you give up some tips as to replanting? Do only the little ones survive the trauma of being cut down? We’re in a new neighborhood and have ZERO trees in the backyard, so I’d be all over doing that this Christmas.