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Original poster

Lights until Candlemas

74 replies

MisterT373 · 04/01/2021 22:13

Most people are familiar with the fact that Christmas decorations are usual taken down on Epiphany/12th Night.

There are parts of Europe where decorations stay up until Candlemas (2nd February)

Given today's lockdown news how would people feel about leaving up their outdoor lights until Candlemas. Everywhere looks better with lights and this would reduce the gloom through January.

OP posts:
Seriouslymole · 04/01/2021 22:15

I think it is a wonderful idea. Anything that brings any sort of joy has to be worth doing.

1Morewineplease · 04/01/2021 22:16

I didn't know that! I might rethink our decision to take everything down tomorrow.
Thank you for that!

KarlKennedysDurianFruit · 04/01/2021 22:16

Already decided to! Life is pretty bleak at the moment

chubley · 04/01/2021 22:40

I thought about it but only have indoor lights and Christmas tree. Might keep them up! Nearly everyone else nearby took theirs down on Saturday, though.

qwertyuiop098 · 04/01/2021 22:45

I’m in!

Trumplosttheelection · 04/01/2021 22:46

I just said to dh I was going for candlemas! Let's do it!

Gilead · 04/01/2021 22:47

My indoor lights are staying up.

EngineeringFix · 04/01/2021 22:48

Indoor lights here but yes.

Ponoka7 · 04/01/2021 22:48

I usually leave my real outdoor decorations out until Candlemas. I now think I'll leave my lights up as well.

Strugglingtodomybest · 04/01/2021 22:48

I noticed tonight while walking the dogs that most people have already taken their lights down. I thought it was a real shame and I'm going to keep my tree up until it's well and truly dead!

NovemberR · 04/01/2021 22:49

I'm keeping my tree and indoor lights up now til Candlemas. I was already thinking about doing so and tonight's announcement tipped the scales!

ThatsNotTheTeaHunty · 04/01/2021 22:59

Taken all ours down. My family are very superstitious and always said it's bad luck to keep them up past the 6th Jan.
I sometime wish they wouldn't tell me these things as I'd probably leave them up but I have horrible anxiety so can't disobey it Sad.

campion · 04/01/2021 22:59

Our tree is in water and it has started sprouting new green shoots! It's looking fine and it's staying up for now. DH always gets sad when the decorations come down so I think this is the year to aim for Candlemas!

EngineeringFix · 04/01/2021 23:00

I will take down my tree and Christmas decorations and tinsel but I'm repurposing my three strings of lights!

Lovely1a2b3c · 04/01/2021 23:03

We don't have outdoor lights this year. I would like to do this with our indoor ones but not sure whether our tree, which is growing in a pot in our living room will survive until then. I might buy some new non-Christmassy fairy lights instead.

Feathersinthehead · 04/01/2021 23:11

@ThatsNotTheTeaHunty

Taken all ours down. My family are very superstitious and always said it's bad luck to keep them up past the 6th Jan. I sometime wish they wouldn't tell me these things as I'd probably leave them up but I have horrible anxiety so can't disobey it Sad.
My Christmas lights and decorations will be down by Epiphany, but my interior lights are staying up til Candlemas. So they aren’t Christmas lights, they’re winter lights. I always do it, January and February are tough months in my house.
Onedropbeat · 04/01/2021 23:12

I’m keeping ours up until candlemas

CherryPieface · 04/01/2021 23:15

What a lovely idea, I’ve not heard of Candlemas, but had already decided to keep up some strings of lights xx

BlackeyedSusan · 04/01/2021 23:18

I was planning to put some lights up in the window. everyone needs a bit of a cheer up.

flumposie · 04/01/2021 23:27

I'm in. Tree down but still have my lights in the bay window.

Ceara · 04/01/2021 23:38

Taking down the tree tomorrow here as usual - we need the space! But we always leave the other evergreens and some fairy lights until Candlemas, as was traditional in England until at least Tudor and Stuart times.
See "Ceremony Upon Candlemas Eve" by C17th poet Robert Herrick:
"Down with the rosemary, and so
Down with the bays and misletoe ;
Down with the holly, ivy, all,
Wherewith ye dress'd the Christmas Hall :
That so the superstitious find
No one least branch there left behind ".
We generally take the outdoor lights down on twelfth night with the tree but I am definitely in for leaving them until Candlemas this year, to lighten the gloom.

DonttouchthatLarry · 04/01/2021 23:41

Lots of people on our village Facebook page have said they're going to leave theirs up - I've really enjoyed seeing them on dog walks around the village at night.

Witchend · 04/01/2021 23:53

But... but... I was always told the hobgoblins took them down if you hadn't by 12th night.

I tried it once and they were so lazy I ended up doing it myself at the start of February. I was most disappointed.

AJ1425 · 05/01/2021 00:00

Not for me, I always struggle a bit after Christmas getting back to normal and the decorations still being up wouldnt help with that.

Pagan101 · 05/01/2021 00:06

I was going to take mine down on 6th but I've decided to keep them up.