To think... take your Christmas decorations down?

[topspeed]

Some of my neighbours still have wreaths on their doors. Surely their decorations should come down now?

Any of you still got yours up?

My porch fairy lights are still up...some of my neighbours did have theirs up too until a week or so ago, but our house is now the only beacon of twinkly light in the street. I noticed yesterday that someone in the next street still has their tree in the front window...if it makes them happy why not?!

Personally, I find it much more depressing when people put them up on 1 November and you can’t go into a shop without hearing Slade on repeat than I do seeing the odd wreath in January. Accept that could just be me, though.....!

Our local powers-that-be have encouraged people to keep their lights up if they can- same as with bunting and decorations earlier in the year during the first lockdown- to keep everyone's spirits up and make life a little bit brighter. We're not in lockdown or really under any restrictions right now in our day-to-day lives, but it certainly makes things feel more fun and pleasant at the moment!

Why don't people just mind their own business?

Another vote for Candlemas here. I'm normally a stickler for tradition - putting the tree up just a couple of weeks before Christmas (not November!) and taking everything down on by Twelfth Night, including every last card and sprig of holly. But this year's different, and I couldn't really bring myself to do it on 5 January. It also meant we could have a second, delayed Christmas dinner with our student daughter who had to start isolating on the day itself. It does seem a bit odd though, as it doesn't really "feel" like Christmas - no festive music or films on the TV, no cards plopping on the mat, etc. But ... it'll all stay in place until Candlemas Eve, and we'll give the house a good spring clean then too. We managed to dodge Covid recently despite having a case in the house, so having come through that scare we don't want to tempt fate. Those bastard evil spirits can stay trapped in the holly until they get tossed on the fire on 1 Feb.

We have fairy lights up inside still. They cheer us up.

During the Black Death period, people with the disease put crosses on their door as a warning.
Maybe wreaths are performing the same function.

During the Black Death period, people with the disease put crosses on their door as a warning. Maybe wreaths are performing the same function.

One of our neighbours keeps them up all year!

If you miss the 12th night or Candlemas, that is the only way to avoid a visit from the goblin.

I had the rage at the very thought of folk leaving their outside lights up. Thank goodness nobody on my road has.

Mine are still up. I haven't had the energy to take all the decorations off the tree and take it down, pack it away and store. I've even had the lights on a few times this month, because its pretty. I'm thinking when I take it down of still stringing the lights somewhere in the living room and possibly leaving them all year round.

The window lights are still up as I need to move furniture to get to them and I haven't had the energy. They've been switched off since 5th.

The outdoor tree is still outside as its rained every day since 5th and there's no point in bringing a wet tree in and trying to store it. Again, not been switched on since 5th.

We're keeping our outdoor lights up and on til Candlemas. Coming back in the dark and seeing them is rather cheering at this bleak time of year.

How on Earth is it affecting your life. Gods sake.

Normally our tree comes down in time for 12th Night, but this year DH wants it to stay up until Candlemas. It's cheering him up, it's dry January and it's his birthday this month. If it lifts and cheers us all up, where's the harm?

I have left my coloured lights in my conservatory, they can be seen from the street. They will stay up all January.

A friend still has all decorations up. She lives alone and just days before Christmas tested positive for covid. Last week she was taken into hospital and although she’s now home she is in no fit state to take them down. Dh is going to help tomorrow.

Stop being so judgey OP, you have no idea what is going on behind closed doors

I had the rage at the very thought of folk leaving their outside lights up. Thank goodness nobody on my road has.

If that gives you the rage, you are ridiculous. Honestly, do you have any idea of what people are going through.

My trees still up and won’t be coming down for a while why do you care

lolz who cares

Mine have come down today and the tree has been taken for recycling !

I wish the people opposite me would put lights up outdoors! it would be something cheerful to look at! Does anyone else think it's especially dark this year?

We have a cultural tradition to keep Xmas tree and decorations till the 13th of January. The outside winter lights stay the whole dark period

As others have said, a few people I know are leaving theirs up til Candlemas this year. Mine have been taken down now - I do that on Twelfth Day but this year I actually left the tree up for a few extra days.

We still have our tree up! It's a real tree, we ended up buying it quite close to christmas, and it's still healthy and looks lovely. Seems a waste to chuck it out when I'm still getting pleasure from it. Lockdown is depressing enough already, I'm damn well keeping the tree.

I had the rage at the very thought of folk leaving their outside lights up. Thank goodness nobody on my road has.

And for those who think it's too late ...