to think Christmas finishes by New Year?

[PineappleDanish]

Lots of threads about people taking down their decorations to be met with a flurry of "oh no, Christmas only STARTS on the 25th and runs to 6th Jan!"

This wasn't a thing when I was little, decorations always went up around mid-December, down either just before New Year or just after. I don't think I knew anyone who did the 12th night thing, and Epiphany wasn't a word I ever heard anyone use in my church going family. Just not a "thing".

Is this regional? Is keeping your decorations up to 6th Jan a more "English" thing while us Scots, Irish and Welsh are more focused on the new year hoolie? Or is it a Catholic/Protestant tradition thing given that many southern european catholic countries like Italy and Spain traditionally celebrate Epiphany and the three wise men bringing gifts rather than Santa Claus?

YABU - of course Christmas starts on 24th dec and isn't over until 6th Jan

YANBU - starts at some point in December, done and dusted by 27th.

My boys birthdays are both early jan so I like my decks down by new year... although technically speaking as epiphany is the 6th that's when traditionally trees come down I think?

In Spain isn't that the Big night?

I’m in my fifties and decorations always went up at the start of advent and came down on 12th night.

We have LOTS of decorations inside and out. Because of the time it will take we will start taking them down in New Years Day but the crib and the main tree will stay up until Epiphany.

Twelth night on 5th Jan is the last day of Christmas and we take the decs down on 6th.
Its always been a thing in my family. I currently live in the Midlands and am originally from London.
C of E and Baptist upbringing but no religion these days!

Decs go up a week before Christmas here, and down on the 6th. Always have, always will.

My tree came down yesterday. Off on holiday and won’t be back till 4th January - can’t be doing with them up when we get back.

I used to leave mine up until after New Yr.. Generally when we had time.

This Yr. They were down yesterday.. As got fed up re dressing tree after toddler stripped it.. Or sitting on the decorative reindeer.

Christmas wasn't a huge thing weh I was growing up in Scotland, only became a public holiday in 1957, having been banned for 300 years- which is why New Year was celebrated.
Many people still worked christmas day.

I like my tree to come down on the 30th or so.

I like a clean start to the New Year.

Our lights come down on the 6th. We live out in the countryside and it is lovely to see the house and drive lit up in the dark as we drive home. Always feels sad to turn them off

I was always brought up by my grandparents that the house had to be spotless on Hogmanay, so you are not carrying last years dirt into the New Year (dirt and mess from the Hogmanay party doesn’t count . So decorations always came down around 30th. I did know they were traditionally meant to stay up until the 6th though.

Ours went up mid dec but will probably take it down on the 3rd Jan because we are at my dad's birthday party on the 4th and then back to work on the 6th.

I always take it down before I go back to work xx

For us the decorations go up a couple of days before Christmas day and stay up until 12th night. I'm mid 30s and we did it like this when I was little too, as did my parents families before them.

It really doesn't bother me that people have their own traditions. What does bother me are the posts on social media where people declare that the decorations have come down and declare thank goodness/how awful it was/I can't believe some people still have them up. I hate when people think that their way is the right way and the only way. I honestly don't understand why some people feel the need to berate others traditions.

Decorations start going up 1st week of December down on the 5/6th January. We keep the outside lights up for as long as possible. This because it lights up the path to the house and it's more practical than anything

For Irish mumsnetters, a few days after the toy show to a few days before the youngest scientists...

We always keep our decorations up until 12th night and always did as children. I'm Catholic but not sure if that's a factor but always do 12th night.

Decorations went up on the 21st, majority are down already. Tree will be sacked off on New Year's Day, game over. Bloody hate clutter in the house.

I'm early-40s and grew up in Scotland, tree and decscwent up the weekend before Christmas and came down on 6th January.

I'm now in Spain and decorate on 6th December (holiday here, usually around a long weekend) and it comes down on 6th January.

I don't have enough decorations to get dusty it trip over, and I like having things up especially the tree. Schools start back on 8th January.

I love this pic....

12th night was not part of what I heard in Church/school growing up.
Well your vicar was very neglectful then.
Because it has been a "thing" since the 4th century.

I'm not religious or superstitious and don't believe in things causing 'bad luck '. I take the decorations down on New Year's Day or on the 2nd Jan usually.

12 days of Christmas from 25th of Dec.