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?

"Christmas every 4 years. Now I could totally get on board with that plan. "

So could I. We could have it every leap year.

You can take it down whenever you choose. Tradition states 12 days of Christmas but traditionally people only put up a tree on Christmas Eve (in so far as it's only a recent ish one anyway). I leave mine up until 12th because we have people round throughout the period...and I like to get the value (both financially and biologically) out of my tree 😊

It's a deal Lonicera. If it was every leap year my enthusiasm might be a bit better.

We keep ours up til the 6th jan! Bit sad to pack it all away so soon! It’s still Christmas.

Emily grin - no, we both work in schools and I assure you dh goes back on the 2nd (I go back on the 4th)

It's ok, you don't need to "assure" me.

Again, I've got friends with children widespread over the country and all are back on the 8th/9th.

I've never known Christmas holidays to only be a week, they've always been two weeks, right from when I was at school.

DS school used to break up up the week before Christmas and go back the 2nd but the City council have changed it to break up on the 22nd, back on the 8th/9th.

5 other city council's that I know of have also done this.

So it was surprising to learn it wasn't standard across the board and that some schools only have a week break.

I'm guessing they get extra holiday somewhere to make up the days off through the school year. We get 7 week summer holidays as the school does a week's worth of teacher training at the beginning.

Kitnakaboodle some of us just aren't particularly into christmas. I don't see why that is so difficult to understand. I'm not rushing around at all I'm not going to go to any sales. I wasn't particularly busy in December, because we only have a low key christmas. I'm still going to take my tree down at a time that suits me and my family.

12th night here too.
People put them up way too early now.

I've taken mine down this morning. I have taken it down Christmas day night before now too.

Our decorations sometimes stay up till 12th night and sometimes come down a day or two earlier, depending on what day of the week it is and whether I'm back at work. This year, they will come down on the 6th as it will too early to take them down before I go back to work. Fresh greenery might have to come down earlier if it is dead (though it only went up on Christmas Eve so should last until the new year).

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

Yes, clearly I am doing something wrong I want more Christmas, I am not sure how to achieve it. Great for those who have family and friends round all week to celebrate. I am a little envious. Must be lovely to be surrounded by so many people who work in jobs where they get time off to celebrate with you all week.

For the majority of people life goes back to normal after today. If not today. My Christmas tree has done what it needed to do. Helped me celebrate Christmas. The fucker can come down tomorrow.

It’s all a matter of personal preference regarding the length of time your Xmas tree is up/down, surely.

Ours is one of those pre lit twiggy things, 3ft with ’snowy’ branches, sat on the table with tiny baubles and nothing else. We love it!

It went up mid December, and will come down about 2nd Jan. Plenty of time for us, but that’s us. Cue much hoovering and loads of glitter still knocking about until about March.....😀

Just now. We loved it for 25 days it was up. But it's not Xmas anymore! The tree signifies a build up to The Day. The Day has been and gone. Of course it had to come down today!

I'm not religious but as I get bad SAD making it to the solstice is an achievement every year. It's often around then we get round to decorating the tree and the lights and beauty really help. We celebrate 12 days of Christmas to spread out the emotions and new toys etc, but for us it's a week together for once.

Want tree up to make NYE party look festive, but also if I've spent £45 on a live tree each year I'm not going to have it up for only 3 days!

Also no-one's mentioned council tree collections. Our trees get collected on rubbish day the week starting 2 January. So if anyone took their tree down early they'd either have to drive 45 min to the tip and then back, or have it lying bare in the front of their house until then.

It's personal preference coupled with what's best for you own circumstances. Why other people feel so stronger about why I should want to take my decorations down before new year is beyond me. I actually had a work colleague get so irate about it and tell me i simply couldn't take them down before new year and was I joking!?!

It’s a crying shame if people can’t think of ways to enjoy 12 days of festivities and think it’s over already - shows a lack of imagination and creativity. I feel genuinely sorry for them that they are missing making the most of this wonderful season, with their tree at its heart. Removing your tree early rips the heart and all the joy from the festivities. Seeing discarded trees at the roadside brings everyone’s mood down. By taking your tree down early you’re also doing a disservice to the community. If you want to live a joyless life that’s your choice, but I feel desperately sad from you . I strongly urge you to make the effort next year to truly make the 12 days count - who knows, you might even find you are able to enjoy Christmas to it’s full potential and avoid spoiling it for others.

There's been a definite shift since my childhood. Now people genuinely enjoy celebrating the Build Up and have had enough when it comes to Christmas week (ie Christmas!). I guess if you're doing all the new advent rituals (elf on shelf etc) you've probably had enough now. For me it's just started

I think you are very over invested in this julie

I’m not overinvested in it. It’s just for me and millions of others, Christmas started - not ended- yesterday! It’s barely begun!

juliesaway I don't lead a 'joyless life' and I enjoy the festivities so much the period starts on 1st December when we put our beautiful decorations up! We have them up a whole month so are well ready to take them down before new year usually on or around 28th-30th. I find it sad that other people's lives affect yours so much. Maybe you need to work on creating more joy yourself so that other people's lives don't cause you such misery and disappointment.

It’s a crying shame if people can’t think of ways to enjoy 12 days of festivities and think it’s over already - shows a lack of imagination and creativity.

Well, give me some ideas then, oh wise one.

Aha I see it now. Julie makes tinsel for a living.

I saw the toysrus folks popping up on the kids must have list thread a few times. They were also quite stressed out poor sods.

I see now the whole board of m and s having a right old go on the homemade gifts thread.

It's a tough time of year for some let's not forget

I am so thoroughly bored by Christmas. 12 days is too ruddy long. Insanity.

I feel genuinely sorry for them that they are missing making the most of this wonderful season, with their tree at its heart. Removing your tree early rips the heart and all the joy from the festivities.

I feel quite sorry for you that you think a tree is the heart of the festivities

Taking it down rips the heart and joy from Xmas?

Yeah, I am feeling less sorry for myself now I have read that twee crap.

Our tree will be coming down today, the house will be cleaned and cleared for the new year as this is our family tradition.
We don't do advent or acknowledge the birth of Christ. No, it's not about the presents and we aren't slaves to commercialism .
The wreath will stay up until mid January! .
There will still be plenty of enjoying time with the extended family, meals together etc.

Everybody celebrates (or not) the season differently (shock! ). Nobody is "wrong". Just be happy with your own ways!

Julie a Christmas tree is a very recent addition to celebrating Christmas. Having greenery in the house over the solstice is a pagan thing.

We didn’t have a tree at all. No decorations either. We managed to have a fine enough day yesterday, and will enjoy the next week or so without it we’ll enough too.

A tree is only a decoration. It means nothing. If your entire festive seasonal happiness hinges on a dying fir/piece of plastic festooned in lights and tinsel then I feel more sorry for you than you do to for me.

Christmas is for most people about family and love, you don’t need a tree for that.