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Original poster

Q- do non religious people people put trees up earlier than religious people?

90 replies

RobertSmithdoesmyhair · 04/12/2019 23:32

Chatting at work today about trees. We noticed that those who are Catholic don't put trees up until much closer to Xmas- around the 15th Dec, as it is nearing the birth of Jesus. However, those who are not religious already have theirs up! Is there a general correlation or not? What do you think? Is Christmas just commercial nowadays?

OP posts:

ImportantWater · 04/12/2019 23:35

I’m an atheist and our tree doesn’t go up until 16/17/18 December. Make of that what you will.

xyzandabc · 04/12/2019 23:36

We are not religious at all.

Decorations go up after the kids finish school so prob the weekend of the 20/21 December this year.

I've never heard of putting up decorations later because you're religious

DramaAlpaca · 04/12/2019 23:37

I'm not religious & my tree won't go up until 20th December or so.

SuperLoudPoppingAction · 04/12/2019 23:38

I prefer to put ours up on Christmas eve and then keep it up until epiphany

But it's hard to leave it that late these days - I feel I'm left with the dregs.

This year my sons will be with their dad every weekend until Christmas apart from this one. So I bought a tree early and we will celebrate st Nicholas day.
I can't bring myself to decorate it yet though.

Maybe on Friday...

WorraLiberty · 04/12/2019 23:38

I'm a Catholic raised agnostic and generally put mind up the closest weekend to December 1st, just like my very Catholic parents did.

I think it's more about how excited you are for Christmas than any kind of religious 'rule'.

AlunWynsKnee · 04/12/2019 23:39

I'm an atheist. I would put the tree up on the 21st this year but the dc have got me to agree to do it on the 15th.

anxioussue · 04/12/2019 23:39

Our atheist tree will be up on the 21st to the 26th

HellonHeels · 04/12/2019 23:40

My colleague is a hindu, his tree was up end of November.

Dazedandconfused10 · 04/12/2019 23:42

Atheist here... No tree.

thatonesmine · 04/12/2019 23:45

Non believer. Our tree usually goes up about a week before Christmas and comes down on 2nd January. DH always argues that it should stay up until 12th night but once Christmas and New Year are over I just want it gone, I always get the job of taking it down so I feel justified in overruling him.

ImportantWater · 04/12/2019 23:45

its hard to leave it late these days - I feel I’m left with the dregs

I completely agree! Despite being atheist I love Christmas, I want to keep Christmas going until 12th night ( we have a little 12 th night party when we take the decs down) but it’s hard when the “Christmas starts on the 1 December!!!” brigade have whipped the decorations down by Boxing Day.

leonardthelemming · 04/12/2019 23:49

I thought the tree was originally a Pagan thing. And should therefore go up near the solstice...

LBOCS2 · 05/12/2019 00:06

I'm an atheist who LOVES Christmas and my tree isn't up yet. We haven't had the time and I feel very strongly that you do have to wait until December before it goes up. It's probably going to be at the weekend at this point - I'm out singing carols tomorrow night so it won't be happening then!

Incidentally, the trees are all cut at the same time so if you feel like you're left with the dregs, go and get a tree earlier, cut off the bottom inch and then stick it in a bucket of water outside until you're ready to use it. Cut another inch off and then put it in your stand indoors - should help it last.

LBOCS2 · 05/12/2019 00:07

(Oh, and although Christmas starts on the 1st, it doesn't end until 12th night. No Boxing Day de-Christmassing here!)

DasherDancefloorPrancerKitchen · 05/12/2019 00:24

I'm a Christian and my tree has nought to do with my faith. It goes up the first Sunday in advent and stays until 12th night.
I can't stand the dark drab weather and I'd have it up for longer if I lived by myself. My DH is more minimalist but agrees that some fairy lights stay up until spring.
It's not a faith thing, just personal taste.

Pipandmum · 05/12/2019 00:30

My sister is practising catholic and she has it up early December. Have to say I don't notice the difference between friends who are practising and those who aren't in terms of when the decorations go up.

TheFaerieQueene · 05/12/2019 00:31

I’m an atheist and my tree goes up a few days before Christmas and down 2/1.

AnnieOH1 · 05/12/2019 00:33

Practising believer (at church at least once a week that whole deal) and ours will go up sometime in the next week. The one at church was put up on Tuesday 3rd December.

From my own anecdotal evidence I'd say it's more likely that a believer won't go OTT with decorations. There'll be a tree and maybe a garland or two but not a thousand light fixtures all over the front garden and house, but then maybe that's just my circle!

Thesearmsofmine · 05/12/2019 00:36

We’re non religious and ours went up on the 1st, I would go for a mid December but the dc begged to put it up. I will keep it up until the 12th night, I always do.

ShippingNews · 05/12/2019 00:57

round the 15th Dec, as it is nearing the birth of Jesus

Nobody knows when he was born though.

The Roman Catholic Church settled on Dec. 25 for many reasons, such as that date's ties to the winter solstice and Saturnalia, a festival dedicated to the Roman deity Saturn. By choosing this day to celebrate Jesus' birthday, the church could co-opt the popular pagan festival, as well as the winter celebrations of other pagan religions.

So put your tree up whenever you like ! .

ElluesPichulobu · 05/12/2019 01:07

the Christian Festival of Christmas starts on 24th December and continues until Epiphany on 6th January - if you are a fan of real trees you can't put it up too early if you want it to still be thriving on 12th night. it is preceded by Advent - similar to lent in being a period of solemn reflection and fasting.

the secular festival of the same name starts on 6th November and ends on 25th December because everyone is sick of it by then.

some people celebrate both.

stupidtabloidheadlines · 05/12/2019 01:55

We are Christians, but the tree putting up is unrelated. It will normally go up in the first week of December.

Milanimilani · 05/12/2019 02:01

I’m a Christian. My tree went up 29th November. The tree is about doing some nice decorating together, not Jesus.

Blankiefan · 05/12/2019 06:50

We're dedicated Church Dodgers and the tree has been up since 1st December. In my catholic youth, parents put it up around 14th. I suspect partly because most people had real trees that wouldn't survive a month!

Czetr · 05/12/2019 06:53

Catholic and it goes up on the 1st for me, same as my v v religious gran who I lived with for most Christmases growing up!

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