When is 12th night and when do I take the tree down?

[wishingitwasspring]

The 5th or the 6th and do I take them down before or after

Yes I know it's superstitious and I can take them down when I want to but for reasons I won't go in to I'm feeling superstitious 😂

Google seems as confused as me.

But 12th night is part of the festivities so you take them down the morning after (the 6th). I'd rather celebrate than be taking down decorations!

@Ladyglittersparkleseriously

That would be an ecumenical matter

Beat me to it.

@BuanoKubiamVej

Liturgically speaking the Church counts days as Sunset on the previous day to Sunset on the Day itself - which is why Christmas Eve evening counts as part of Christmas, and the Easter Vigil service on the evening of Easter Saturday counts as part of Easter Day.

The 12 days of Christmas are the 25th, 26th, 27th
28th, 29th,30th and 31st of December
and the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th of January.
"12th Night" is the evening of 5th January which marks the start of the Feast of the Epiphany which is 6th January and is not part of the 12 days of Christmas.

But you are allowed to keep your general Christmas Decorations up until Candlemas which is 40 days after Christmas. It's only the holly sprigs (which my parents put above each picture hanging on the walls in their house) that have to come down on 12th night. Because the Devil hides in them or something.

The Devil hides in holly sprigs?!

Wow he's smaller than I thought

I'll take the outdoor decorations down tomorrow (because most of the neighbours have already removed their's and I dont want to look crazy) but I'll probably keep the decorations in the living room until the weekend. Kids are little and they love all the christmassy things. It makes the house feel cozy and I want to hold onto it a bit longer.

@wishingitwasspring

So if we agree on the 5th for twelfth night, are they coming down before or after 🤪

By midnight on 5th Jan, because after midnight it is the 6th Jan

In my younger days I went to some great Young Farmers’ Twelfth Night dances and the festivities began on the evening of 5th January.
Epiphany is thought to be when the Three Wise Men found their way to Jesus, having been delayed by King Herod and provoking the Slaughter of the Innocents and the Flight into Egypt.
(Please note the Capitals. Bible study is not my favourite pastime.)

When it starts to look a bit tired. I am sitting admiring mine now and it’s still beautiful so I shall keep it up until at least the weekend. The weather is mostly grey and gloomy at the moment and it adds some sparkle to the evening. Plus it’s a real tree and only went up on the 20th, so I feel guilty if I don’t make the most of it. It won’t last until February though - sadly.

So you can take your pick from:

Twelfth Night (evening of Jan 5th)
Epiphany (Jan 6th)
Candlemas, the last Christmas feast (Feb 2nd)
Or … whoever you’ve had enough of them.

*whenever (not whoever)

Never. Tree is staying up until at least the weekend, outside light for another month and inside will stay maybe until candlemass need all the fairy lights this year!

We each put a shoe under the tree on the evening of the 5th, and then the three kings will leave a small gift.

Then we take the tree down in the 6th, have a roast dinner like on Christmas Day, and fruitcake also features prominently.

It's definitely not today which is 4th (just checked!)

@TwinkleTwinkleLittleStarFightr

We each put a shoe under the tree on the evening of the 5th, and then the three kings will leave a small gift.

Then we take the tree down in the 6th, have a roast dinner like on Christmas Day, and fruitcake also features prominently.

This sounds ace, might start making more of a thing about Twelth Night/Epiphany

I like the shoe idea too!

All down on New Years Day. The house now looks like we have been burgled!

Must remember to name change too

I also go for the 6th - my online calendar says Twelfth Night is tomorrow, and I shall ignore it as it is patently wrong.

I don't know where I've got it from but I always thought they had to be down by the 6th, so before midnight on 5th.

We've done it today though because they were getting on my nerves (usually I like to string it out till last possible moment but not felt like that this year) and I wanted to put some new storage (for all the bloody toys) up where the tree was.

I'm taking mine down on 6th so the tree and outside lights will all last be twinkling on the 5th

Apparently, according to Rev Richard Cole, as per the old church calendar, you should take down your decorations and 'undress' the tree, but leave the greenery in place until Candlemas, which is Feb 2, I think.

I'm (lapsed) Church of Scotland, so the tree comes down on the 5th. I shall miss our lovely girl, she was an absolute beauty this year.

I'm leaving the lights up into January this year, but putting up different New Year decorations.

@dementedpixie

Was it not bad luck to leave them up after so take them down on the day?

No. Bad luck to take them down before. Irish catholic background so they cannot be taken down before 6th January, which is Women's Christmas or Little Christmas. Traditionally, women got together to party and got a break from the general slog of life.