Taking the tree down!

[Elsouth]

Is it wrong to consider taking the tree down tomorrow? When is everyone else doing it?? I think last year I did it just after Boxing Day. As the kids get older the presents seem to get bigger and I end up having to rearrange the whole room. Need that tree gone. Does that make me a grinch?

What gets me is that in real life I know of nobody who does this (secs down on Boxing Day). Its one of those things that just seems to happen in the MN universe. Town centres, pubs, restaurants all keep them up til New Year. Shops don't, but that's the whole point of this thread, I think. Happy Christmas season, everyone

Decs down!

Most of the people I know in RL take their trees down way before 6/1. I also know a lot of people who go back to work between Christmas and New Year.

It is a Christmas tree - we have all the events leading up to Christmas Day but now it’s over there is no reason to keep the tree up any longer unless you want to. There aren’t any more Christmas celebrations so I can’t see anything wrong in taking it down. Once we’re back at school and work there won’t be any time to sort out getting the tree recycled and the room cleaned up.

Even if parents are back at work, don't people's kids object to the decs going down (what I consider) 'early'? Mine want them up as early as possible (but i delay until mid December) and want them left as long as possible.

What’s not to like about celebrating the 12 days of Christmas? You get more Christmas!

I am not sure how I am meant to celebrate it for 12 days really.

I have my family here today, so it's still very much Christmas today. Tomorrow I am seeing no one. My family will all be back at work, I don't have many friends but the ones I have are either at work or have other plans. I do have two birthday parties this week but that's nothing to do with Christmas.

So how do I get more Christmas? I spend loads of time with my husband and children anyway and we will be doing the same things the next few days as we always do when I am not at work.

I took annual leave so have a few days off but after tomorrow Christmas is over.

I am really not sure how to have 'more Christmas'.

kitnkaboodle in my experience people vary. Some people do always keep it up for the full 12 days. Other people take it down early, either for practical reasons or they've got sick of it.
I took mine down on boxing day one year because the lights had broken (on christmas Eve no less) and it just looked dark and depressing. Another year I took it down early because my daughter kept knocking it over. I got a bit fed up after putting it back up and rearranging it 6 or 7 times. Not to mention it looked shit.

My teens didn't even notice DH and I had put the tree up til it was pointed out. They won't notice or care if it's gone.

Parker - we still have 'celebrations ' in terms of family visiting, nice food n drink, games playing, visit to panto etc. Don't other folk do that? Do others generally sweep Christmas away after Christmas Day? I'm genuinely surprised.

The longer it's up the more likely the decs break, look tired, fall apart etc. Therefore you are more likely to buy new ones for next year rather than carefully put it all away.

So you will be nudged to put up early and keep it up by any means necessary (insert- religion/tradition/fear of doing it wrong/for the kids happiness) in order to keep you spending.

I like the every 4 years plan

U2HasTheEdge lol, you're just not trying hard enough. Be more christmassy!

The whole point of a Christmas Tree is to have it up for Christmas. Not Christmas Day only. Christmas lasts from 25th Dec to 6th Jan. People mistakenly put their trees up before Advent even starts, spurred on by shops and adverts. IMO no one should be putting their tree up before about 15th December - 2 weeks before Christmas Day and 2 weeks after is about right. I can’t tell you how depressing it is to think of people taking their trees down on Christmas Day as some have on this thread. It’s a denial of Christmas - too sad.

Mine comes down on 12th night but I don't put it up till at least 18th/20th

I have mine up a whole month so like to start the new year a fresh with a clean and tidy house and vacuum all of the glitter up!

Not religious here.

Love Christmas! No way will our tree ever come down before New Year. To me it’s part of New Year celebrations too. So about the 6th here.

And it’s not over - we did about half the presents yesterday. May spin it out over a few days.

juliesaway I don't care that Christmas lasts from 25th. No way am I putting all my decorations of on Xmas eve/day!

up

It's a useless argument as how many people put their trees up on 25th!?!
So we're all putting hen up before advent begins than

Juliesaway seriously, why are you so over invested in how other people view and celebrate christmas?
A denial of christmas - they're taking down their own christmas trees in their own homes. Why on earth would that make you feel sad?

them*

You were celebrating the wrong thing at the wrong time!

Indeed, after all the son of God wasn't born at Christmas if at all.

Kitnkaboodle - of course the celebrations are continuing but they aren’t centered on presents around the tree after Christmas Day. We had 20 for Christmas dinner and then opened the presents from under the tree. In fact we have two trees - a huge one in the hall and another in the living room. They look lovely and we enjoyed decorating them. They will stay up until the morning of New Years Eve when we need to clear up for that nights party and then getting ready for back to work.

It’s not Christmas now, it’s holiday time with friends and family with good food and drinks. Christmas doesn’t last until 6 January - we’re back at work then!

Tbh I don't thinks it's immoral or outrageous to take it down early but it it early. Mine goes up 2nd weekend of Dec but with work school, Xmas pantos, Carol concerts etc it all feels very busy! Now is the time to enjoy relaxing by the wrinkly lights. We do have family over on 27th though. I think New year's day is still part of the Xmas season. 2nd of Jan everything down and cleaned

Not to mention, christmas trees celebrate the pagan tradition of bringing greenery into the house. Nothing to do with the Christian celebration (which as I'm sure we all know) was tacked onto the existing celebration which centred around the winter solstice.

I appreciate that lots of people are back to work tomorrow. But those that aren't... is the issue that we have collectively lost the ability to just chill out over a holiday period?? Rush rush rush through December, busy/frantic Christmas day, then got to tear down the decs, go to the sales and 'make the house clean/fresh/tidy' etc?? Exhausting!! Gonna pour myself a drink and admire my tree