Why do people take the Christmas tree down Boxing Day?

[wheredolobely]

My Facebook is full of it
Ripped down Christmas night.
I don't understand it.
Most of them had them up since the day after Halloween (when it wasn't even Christmas )
Then rip it down when it's Christmas (12 days of Christmas)
Oh I'm sick of the mess
Need my living room back
Honestly i don't understand the logic
Why not enjoy the festive season as long as possible

Because my dog had been mourning her look out post for the last three weeks.

only place for the tree is the bay window where there is usually a bench where my golden retriever sits most of the day, fearlessly protecting us from passers-by and squirrels.

She got it back this morning and has happily been back at her post ever since.

Traditionally, people do all sorts of things that I don’t do at Christmas, like eat turkey and Christmas pudding. I do what suits me and my family, not what ‘tradition’ dictates, and that changes every year. This year the decorations will come down tomorrow as we fly to France on Saturday until the 8th Jan. Last year it suited us to take them down on New Year’s Day. None of it has affected anyone else at all.

It's odd some people seem to think it's only "Christians" who keep the tree up after 25th, or it's somehow a religious instruction. Our traditional Christmas period of Dec/Jan predates Christanity, the early Christians just rebranded it.

Personally I think we are seeing the separation of people who celebrate Consumerist Christmas, which is a new festival of consumption that starts in November and culminates with a final day of presents and food on 25th December, and people who celebrate Traditional Christmas, which is basically the current expression of the original midwinter festival that starts with the gifts and food then focusses on seeing family and friends and runs to twelth night.

Most cultures have a midwinter festival. When people were tied to the food available locally and light and warmth mostly depended on the sun it's an understandable reaction to the dark dead months of the year.

I think there's a psychological need or comfort in having a midwinter festival, and replacing it with a retail opportunity that finishes as soon as the money has been spent, subtly sending the message that good times are not worthwhile unless someone is selling/buying them, is not good for our mental health.

My tree went up on 1st December and I'm taking it down tomorrow. The only reason is that my DD got a giant dolls house for Christmas that is currently in the middle of the living room floor and it needs to go where the tree is. The tree coming down also coincides with my post Christmas clean up. The house looks like a bomb has hit it currently

Personally I think we are seeing the separation of people who celebrate Consumerist Christmas, which is a new festival of consumption that starts in November and culminates with a final day of presents and food on 25th December, and people who celebrate Traditional Christmas, which is basically the current expression of the original midwinter festival that starts with the gifts and food then focusses on seeing family and friends and runs to twelth night.

Now, I wouldn't say anything to anyone in real life because each to their own, but this is how I feel. Taking the tree down on Boxing Day to me feels like something you do if you mainly care about are the consumerist elements of Christmas - the presents, the buying things/ doing things in the run up etc.

Whereas I'm not remotely religious but I hate winter, and after Christmas it feels like a long old slog to spring. I keep the decorations up to keep the brightness, the joy and the festivity for as long as possible (I also put them up in November for the same reason!). Taking the Christmas decorations down so early is like taking your lunch break at 11am and then having to endure a long afternoon at work until home time.

Because my birthday is just after Christmas and I spent too many years with no one bothered to separate the two.
Never a birthday party, one combined present because people couldn't be bothered to buy two, and a free shitload of resentment if I said anything.
My husband, lovely man, now makes sure I have a nice day. 🙂

Mine went up on the 7th of December and all came down today. Why do I do it because it's my home my life and got fuck all to do with anyone else

I have 3 family birthdays just after Christmas. I try my best to make their birthdays special. Which is why Christmas ends the day after boxing day for my family.

Agree. I was lent my living tree from a local nursery. After caring for it for 3 weeks (til 12th night) it'll be collected and grown on til I borrow it again next year.

Interesting. Our family is stuffed full of people with December birthdays including one on Christmas Eve and one on Christmas Day. Some prefer a completely Christmas free birthday, for which we always maintained a separate "birthday room" to celebrate in, and others, me included, preferred to consider the Christmas decorations as adding to our birthday festivity.

What is there to get? People do what suits them best.

Personally, what works for me is getting it all down and away when I have the time before I go back to work.

Coming home and seeing a reminder of a job I need to do when I have time is just a stress I don't need in January. I much prefer doing it while I'm off and have time. I can then do a deep clean and that gets my mind ready for a busy work month.

I wouldn't keep the decorations up just because some don't get it. What does it matter to anyone else when I take them down?

A new year's celebration without Christmas decorations isn't new year to me. A tradition from childhood

What does having to work between Xmas & New Year to do with taking down your Xmas decorations?

I understand. I bought a small one in a pot this year. It was clearly root bound, so I repotted it (a few weeks ago). I brought it inside on 23rd. It looks lovely with lights a small number of decorations on. It’s being watered and I’ll put it back outside tomorrow 27th. I’ll take care of it and it should be able to come inside again next Christmas and maybe the one after. Following that, it will be planted in the garden.

I don't see the point of a Christmas tree when Christmas is finished, and for me it's over at the end of Boxing Day at the latest. New Year is a completely different thing, and I can't imagine the kids going back to school in January with a Christmas Tree still there.

Christmas is something to look forward to, but when it's over, it's over.
I don't really understand the "12 days of Christmas".

It's irrelevant when I put the decorations up, I still get rid of the tree even if it's only been up for a few days.

The fact that they are announcing it on social media to the op as part of an audience I guess.

I get that if you put up all your 'dekkies' on Nov 6, you'd be sick to death of them by Boxing Day!

Some people will always be 'What's next?'; some will associate their own dependable stability with not having an intrusive, dust-inviting tree covered in sparkly lights in the corner of the room; tho I am aware that Christmas decorations can invoke anxiety in some.

I also get that decorations are often rather more 'involved' than they were in 1970, say; so you want them up for longer than 12 days.

Mine go up mid Dec, 11/12 this year, close to Advent; and will stay up til close to Epiphany, so this year, Sunday 5/1. I love to have sparkly lights up for the Solstice, Christmas, and New Year, little lights sparkling against the dark of winter.

Each to their own. I'm sure Asda will have Easter Eggs in next week!

Leaving mine up till next Xmas..

Because they want to?
Because they want the space?
They don't like the clutter?
They have work commitments?
They've had enough?
Like to have a clean and tidy place before NY

Many reasons, Each to their own.

Mines always down before NYE. For all the reasons above .

I find it so odd. I have mine up till the end of the first weekend in Jan and don’t see why you wouldn’t want it as decoration over new year.

I’m guessing it’s people who put them up
early.

Do those people who put their trees up 1 Nov carve pumpkins in August and buy Easter eggs in February? Set off fireworks in September? I bet they've already had their pancakes last week.

My tree comes down Christmas Day / Boxing Day - my dd has her birthday on 28th so I like to make a point of separating Christmas & her birthday so she still feels special rather than being overshadowed by Christmas on her special day each year

Judge away about what ? 🙄

Nothing. I don’t actually give a shit when people take down their decorations. Just said not everyone has ‘quiet days’ between Christmas and New Year, because they’re at work as normal.

Put ours up early Dec and it will stay up until 12th night, although that's my family tradition and DH might be happy for it to come down sooner. On Boxing Day I greeted people with "Merry Christmas!" and DH said "Christmas is over" but I think Boxing Day is the second of the 12 days of Christmas.