Why do people put their Xmas trees etc up now then take them down Boxing Day

We celebrate time off work, parties, presents, family time and too much food and drink!

You can feel sorry for my child but not because the tree is going up early, it's going up because we have been told that this is likely to be his last Christmas. He's 5. We have been told to do the things we want to do with him in the next six months because after that he's unlikely to have the strength to enjoy them. I am sure people will drive past the house, see the tree up and make judgements but what they won't know is that inside our house is a child on borrowed time.

And I don’t take it down because I’m bored of it I’ll be honest, I take it down because for me, Christmas is over once Boxing Day is. I love the season and I start early, but it’s all about the anticipation and the run up for me, once it’s done it’s done. I don’t watch Christmas films or anything like that after Boxing Day either, as the season is over (for me).

I don't really start watching xmas films till xmas eve. It's so busy with work & school in the run up that i have no time.

You would think.

But so many people lack any modicum of common sense.

I put mine up beginning/middle of December and keep it up until the 2nd/3rd of Jan

Did I at any point claim that everyone should do it my way? I described what is important to me. Of course you can do your own thing.

Not all of us celebrate Advent (or Lent) so have different traditions.

What are the traditions you are celebrating then @Parker231?

But you celebrate Christmas 🤔. Advent is the preparation for Christmas, lent is the preparation for the down of good Friday followed by the up of Easter and presume Eid is the natural follow on from Ramadan.

We put our decorations up once school holidays finish - most come down on 12th night and a few things are left until Candlemas.

I find it odd when trees get taken down straight after Christmas as we generally don’t see family members until about the 27th and would be odd to not have a tree up.

I'm an early December until 6th January type of person but do appreciate other people so things differently

I like the run up to Christmas, but once He’s been down the chimney I am DONE. And I have to work around a small child being at his dad’s because it’s a nightmare if he “helps”.

This year I’m solo from 11am Christmas Day and it will honestly be a battle to not spend the time taking all the stuff down and getting decluttered.

It's a christian festival.

I do, because it’s my house and I want to.

Although I’m usually mid November and take it down a couple of days after Boxing Day, is that still no good for you?

And I don’t take it down because I’m bored of it I’ll be honest, I take it down because for me, Christmas is over once Boxing Day is. I love the season and I start early, but it’s all about the anticipation and the run up for me, once it’s done it’s done. I don’t watch Christmas films or anything like that after Boxing Day either, as the season is over (for me).

Not all of us celebrate Advent (or Lent) so have different traditions.

I find it odd too @Beon Some people on here wear it like a badge of honour that they take their Christmas tree down on Boxing Day. Like it makes them somehow superior.

I say 'on here' (Mumsnet) because I don't know one person in real life who does this. Most people wait til between 2nd and 7th January. It's batshit taking the tree/decorations down on Boxing Day. It's still Christmas FFS.

It makes much more sense (IMO) to have the tree and decorations up from 1st December to 5th January, than, say 23rd November to 26th December. As I said 26th December/Boxing Day is still firmly in the Christmas holiday period.

Do you not accept that some people want to take their Christmas decorations down earlier than you? Neither is right or wrong.

Ours will be going up mid November. Very early for us, but we're away from mid November to early December, and will be jetlagged for days after our return, so I don't want that job hanging over me!!

Exactly this. I put my decs (I haven't got an actual tree) up about 20 December and leave them up until 6 January. Christmas isn't over on Boxing Day!

I prefer to put my tree up no earlier than the 20th, and I keep it up until at least Epiphany although it's liturgically valid to consider it still Christmas until Candlemas which is 40 days after Christmas.

The main problem used to be that it was difficult to get a good tree on 20th December as the shops only have stocks that were felled weeks previously are pretty much dead by then. However now I have found a good Christmas Tree farm where I can choose a tree in November and tie a 'do not cut' notice on it, and it gets felled when I want it and not a moment sooner.

Advent for me, like Lent, is a time of quiet anticipation and contemplation. It's like the hush when the house lights dim before the orchestra starts playing. It enhances the festival to have a defined space of this-is-not-festival before it.

Because that’s what they want to do and because they can?

Ours hardly ever goes up before about mid December, but I don’t object to anyone else’s going up earlier. Once Halloween and Bonfire night are over, and days are getting darker, I enjoy seeing anyone’s tree in their front window.

I don't take mine down until after New Year. We have a real tree, delivered by local farm and recycled by local farm. It arrives mid Dec and gets collected early Jan. I always wish it could be up for longer.

But I don’t think they do take it Fuen on Boxing Day. The (few) people I know who put their tree up in November leave it up til January. In fact it’s those who put it up just before Christmas that seem to take it down pretty quickly after the big day.

But aren't people usually doing something nice boxing day if they celebrate Christmas?

It's too early now to be putting a tree up. It should be a few days before Christmas in my opinion. We always take ours down boxing day because our child's birthday is right after Xmas so it's up with birthday Decs instead. Each to their own though, I couldn't get worked up about what other people want to do with thier tree.

My tree will go up the on the eve before Christmas Eve, not a day sooner.

And will come down a week later.