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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Taking down Christmas decorations

250 replies

Differentstarts · 30/12/2023 20:55

I know im being unreasonable as its none of my business what other people do but I get really annoyed at people who put Christmas decorations up in October and then take them down boxing day or like my friend Christmas day. I don't know why this annoys me but it does what happened to it being done on or at least around the 6th January. I'm just curious what others do?

OP posts:
Clafoutie · 30/12/2023 22:28

I’m with you OP, and I too accept it is entirely unreasonable of me to get annoyed about it! I suppose traditions do change over time, and it does seem to be that the idea of the ‘traditional ‘ 12 days of Christmas is less a thing now. It just seems a shame, I feel we need the lights and cheer into the early days of January!

DappledThings · 30/12/2023 22:30

electriclight · 30/12/2023 21:32

I'll tell you what annoys me. It's people who think the whole world should take their decs down on the entirely arbitrary 6th January and feel cross with anyone who instead makes their own traditions. Focus on yourself and not what other people are doing in their homes.

It's not arbitrary, it's the end of Christmas.

And when I become an unelected dictator it will be one of the laws I enact that of any decorations go up they cannot come down before Twelfth Night. Otherwise it's a £20k fine and a 3 year ban from any decorations. 😂

caringcarer · 30/12/2023 22:31

Mine comes down on January 6th, Twelfth Night.

Original poster
Differentstarts · 30/12/2023 22:32

DappledThings · 30/12/2023 22:30

It's not arbitrary, it's the end of Christmas.

And when I become an unelected dictator it will be one of the laws I enact that of any decorations go up they cannot come down before Twelfth Night. Otherwise it's a £20k fine and a 3 year ban from any decorations. 😂

Show quote history

I couldn't agree more when I become queen of the world this will be my first ruling 🤣🤣

OP posts:
PinkCandles · 30/12/2023 22:32

1st - 31st December for me. New Year's Day I like to take down the decorations and have a fresh start for the New Year.

PinkCandles · 30/12/2023 22:34

DappledThings · 30/12/2023 22:30

It's not arbitrary, it's the end of Christmas.

And when I become an unelected dictator it will be one of the laws I enact that of any decorations go up they cannot come down before Twelfth Night. Otherwise it's a £20k fine and a 3 year ban from any decorations. 😂

Show quote history

The 3 year ban idea made me laugh though. 😃

DappledThings · 30/12/2023 22:35

Differentstarts · 30/12/2023 22:32

I couldn't agree more when I become queen of the world this will be my first ruling 🤣🤣

Show quote history

You can have a role in my cabinet of unelected deputy dictators.

Blinkityblonk · 30/12/2023 22:37

Once Christmas Day has passed, they just don't look Christmassy any more, it's all just a bit flat to me, so mine were down on the 27th, redid the living room, all fresh and ready to move on. Christmas is about anticipation to me, and I don't find looking at the lights once it's gone that cheery, but if you do, keep them up!

FindingMeno · 30/12/2023 22:39

Up mid -Dec and down Boxing Day.
Reasons: small space so stuff is displaced, and using time off work to do things around the house/ deep clean etc.
I also can't stand the fuggy time between Christmas and New Year. Brings back memories of being a child and endless visits to relatives in smoke filled rooms force-feeding yourselves with the chocolates noone really likes.
I like a freshen up after Christmas day is over.

daffodilandtulip · 30/12/2023 22:43

I'm a last week in November and a twelfth night person ... I was the last person in my street to put them up and I'm the only person with them still up.

I have a friend who took the tree down before Christmas, as she didn't want it getting ruined 🤷🏼‍♀️

Chowit · 30/12/2023 22:46

Your head would explode if you walked into my house over Xmas op, as I've never put a tree or decorations up to take down.

Mindovermatter247 · 30/12/2023 22:46

Ours goes up around 20th November, and usually down the 6th Jan as DS birthday is 5th and he used to love them kept up, he informed us yesterday he doesn’t really mind too much now. So we are taking it down Monday/Tuesday so we can celebrate his 16th at the weekend with no worries.

ghostytoast · 30/12/2023 22:46

I wouldn't worry about it.

I don't really like having them still up when the kids go back to school and I go back to work - unfortunately that is so early this time around.

Cattenberg · 30/12/2023 22:50

I put my decorations up a week or two before Christmas and usually take them down on 6th January. January tends to be a grey, dull month, so I’d rather keep Christmas going until Epiphany.

However, I have a living Christmas tree in a pot and it clearly isn’t enjoying being indoors. So, I’ll probably take the decorations off tomorrow and put the tree back out in the garden.

TheNestedIf · 30/12/2023 22:52

I absolutely agree, even though what other people do is absolutely none of my business whatsoever. That said, I do like to see other people's trees in windows and outside displays, so the sooner they rip them down, the more disappointing it is.

I don't understand why people put decorations up in October. There are other occasions to celebrate before Christmas, there's plenty of entertainment, and it's mild and not too grey outside. On the other hand, there's not much to do January / February, and it's often too cold and bleak to want to. That's when I could do with the lights and the shiny things, personally.

I read about Candlemas a couple of days ago. For various reasons, my decorations were done almost literally last minute this year (finished 23:55 Christmas Eve), so I've decided I'm going to leave them up for Candlemas and take them down Feb 3rd. Then, at least, spring feels closer. Also happens to be my birthday during that period, and I wouldn't mind some fairy lights at all.

Disclaimer: I live on my own, so what happens in my household is entirely up to me.

DappledThings · 30/12/2023 22:53

Chowit · 30/12/2023 22:46

Your head would explode if you walked into my house over Xmas op, as I've never put a tree or decorations up to take down.

Nothing wrong with that. If you never put them up you can't take them down early. Better no decorations at all than taking them down during Christmas.

Everydayimhuffling · 30/12/2023 22:54

Ours go up the first weekend in December and came down today. Taking them down on Christmas Day or Boxing Day does seem a bit miserable to me, but I like them to be away before the return to work so I suppose that depends on your working pattern. I rather like them starting with advent.

We do have an early-ish January birthday in the family, so that might contribute. I like to have space for that.

ISewISee · 30/12/2023 22:57

I put my decorations up the last week in November, but I take it all down on New Years Day. I also spend the day deep cleaning everything, so I can go back to work and normality with a clean home. I agree with the comment on here about liking to start the new year with it all down, freshly clean, sweetly smelling and decluttered.

QueSyrahSyrah · 30/12/2023 22:57

Put it up first weekend in December, take it down tomorrow morning. Fresh clean house for the start of the New Year.

PGmicstand · 30/12/2023 22:58

Didn't finish putting all mine up properly until Christmas Eve. I'm in no hurry to take them down, so probably itll be mid-January I'll put them all away.

Tryingmybestadhd · 30/12/2023 22:58

I put mine start of December and they all come down boxing day , both outdoors and indoor ones . Christmas is over and I like to start the new year with a house clean top to bottom and clutter free .

Hibernatalie · 30/12/2023 23:01

YABU because it's weird to get annoyed by what other people do when it has no effect on you.

ChocolateCinderToffee · 30/12/2023 23:03

Mine are up until twelfth night. I put them up on about 15 Dec.

GlitteryUnicornSparkles · 30/12/2023 23:04

Mine go up to Christmas tunes and with a glass of mulled wine in hand on the 1st December or the first date I’m off work after the 1st and are taken down on New Years Day. Christmas isn’t over until New Year arrives. Taking everything down always makes me sad because I love all the decorations and fairy lights and my house always feels naked once they go. This year they may go New Years Eve though just because I happen to be off work so can take my time.

mrmagpie · 30/12/2023 23:07

I don't care what anyone else does but mine all come down on the 27th. I'm not a Christmas fan, lots of reasons, but I can't opt out because I have three kids. So the tree goes up mid December and comes down on Boxing Day.

Other people can do what they like in their houses obviously, but I don't like seeing decorations in January!