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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:
DappledThings · 30/12/2023 23:34

Notsurehwhattdo · 30/12/2023 23:33

All the people that stick to the 6th January and have a problem with people that don't, do tell me, are you even religious, believe in God, in Jesus, go to church? Yeah, thought not.

Yes

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 30/12/2023 23:40

Notsurehwhattdo · 30/12/2023 23:30

Used to be up 8th December, but now we have young children it's the first Saturday of December, so 2nd this year.

Christmas feels over at this stage, so we'll be putting them all away on New Year's Day... It's new year, not Christmas anymore. Used to be the traditional 6th January, but we like to clear the clutter etc. before then now.

There are 12 days of Christmas, 25th December to 5th January inclusive.
In fact it’s officially OK to keep decorations up until Candlemas, 2nd Feb, but even I’d agree that that’s taking it a bit far.

bakermummy21 · 30/12/2023 23:42

Tree etc up early December then take everything down early January, probably around 5/6th Jab but no rules. Years ago no one ever put a tree up in November

89redballoons · 30/12/2023 23:42

Notsurehwhattdo · 30/12/2023 23:33

All the people that stick to the 6th January and have a problem with people that don't, do tell me, are you even religious, believe in God, in Jesus, go to church? Yeah, thought not.

I go to church regularly, yes. I stick to the 5th of January for myself but I wouldn't say I have a problem with when other people take their decorations down.

Actually I have a nativity scene that I leave out after the tree and everything else is down as the three kings don't even get there until the 6th of January. Christmastime in the church lasts until the Sunday after that.

AllTheChaos · 30/12/2023 23:42

Ok, this seems a bit contentious, but for me personally the 12th night thing matters. I like to leave the decorations up until 12th night, as that whole period is Christmas. It starts on Christmas Eve with the tree and decorations, a Carol concert, crib service, Midnight Mass (I love the shaking of hands with everyone around, and the blessings of “Peace be with you”, always makes me so happy). Then there’s the day itself, with presents and special food, but then there’s all the next week and half too, of time with family, time spent reflecting, thinking about the year past and the year to come. I’m grateful to be able to take that time off work, and back when I couldn’t I didn’t bother leaving my decorations up because it felt like it was all over too soon as I was back into the throes of the grindstone. Tbh, when I couldn’t take time off and be with my family, it didn’t feel like Christmas. If I still had to work that time then I would probably shift everything earlier, as having the decorations up for less a week always felt daft. That’s just me though!

VestaTilley · 30/12/2023 23:43

Agree. Not taken down until Epiphany here.

AllTheChaos · 30/12/2023 23:44

Having a fairly young child I don’t go to the church service on Christmas Day itself, but I’m hoping we can go together feom
next year, as I think she’ll be old enough.

VestaTilley · 30/12/2023 23:44

@Notsurehwhattdo we go to church every Sunday.

CoatOfArms · 30/12/2023 23:45

6th January has never been a "thing" in my world. This year we put the tree and decorations up on 17th December. Will probably pack the tree away on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Farwell · 30/12/2023 23:46

Up when I get round to it, same with down. Not fixed by any date or expectation.

It is up to each household to decide what works for them, and I know it is irrational, but I hate the 'Hallmarking' of holidays. The commercialisation of Everything. Seeing Easter eggs in the shop yesterday, knowing the Valentine cards will be out imminently, mother's day being pushed from February etc, Halloween as a season to be celebrated for about a month, immediately followed by Christmas. And people falling for the marketing. It seems like everyone has permanent FOMO.

Lifeinlists · 30/12/2023 23:47

Notsurehwhattdo · 30/12/2023 23:33

All the people that stick to the 6th January and have a problem with people that don't, do tell me, are you even religious, believe in God, in Jesus, go to church? Yeah, thought not.

I don't think Jesus did Christmas trees so that's a bit beside the point.

Advent is now Christmas and Christmas is now New Year and Easter Eggs are already in the shops (I saw them this morning) and I forgot to fit Valentine's Day in and Mother's Day so, yeah, we've gotta keep consumerism alive somehow.

Down with those decorations!!

Silvers11 · 30/12/2023 23:50

Always before 12th Night, Never before 2nd January as we celebrate Hogmanay and New Year's Day

Offcom · 30/12/2023 23:50

SgtJuneAckland · 30/12/2023 21:13

Ours go up the first weekend in December and come down the first full weekend in January, it's too much hassle for less than a month! Our house is old and we have a little tiled roof open porch thing, the twinkly star lights stay up on that all year and just come on on timer until the batteries run out 😁. I have copper wire fairy lights on the fireplace all year. DH has some used as a nightlight in his bedroom. When I was a student I had fairy lights all around my bedroom all year round, the light is nice.

Please can you tell me where to get copper wire fairy lights? Trying to find some mains powered which aren’t £££ if possible

Nottogetapenny · 30/12/2023 23:51

Never take mine down until 12th night, I like holding on to Christmas a little bit longer.
it does feel a bit sad, when people take them down early! But of course it’s up to them! Christmas isn’t over, as soon as the presents are open! It has another 11 days to go!

ChristmasEvemaddness · 30/12/2023 23:51

I do what I please.

Usually second weekend of December and take them down when myself and family are ready. We usually get snow in January and it's lovely to have the Dec's up then

Theoldwoman · 30/12/2023 23:52

You are right, it’s none of your business. You do you, and let others do them.

I put mine up around first of December, and pack all away on Boxing Day.

Watervolt · 30/12/2023 23:54

People who take decorations down in December are straight-up psychopaths.

Klcak · 30/12/2023 23:54

I can’t see how it impacts you when people take theirs down. Mine came down straight after Christmas. The tree takes up space that we use.

AllTheChaos · 30/12/2023 23:56

89redballoons · 30/12/2023 23:32

Up after DS1's birthday in early December, down on twelfth night. I'm off work until 8 January this year and I normally try to take the first week of January off, so having the decorations up doesn't bother me in that sense because it is still Christmas to me.

I think the reason people get upset about other people doing things differently is that Christmas is really the one time when a majority of people in this country all celebrate at the same time. The communal aspect of Christmas is partly what makes it special, and obviously if people have different ideas about when the celebration actually is, it detracts from that.

This is a really good point. The communality is definitely a part of what makes it special.
I’ve been trying to work out why I do feel annoyed by the shift to early decoration and then early removal thereof, because it didn’t seem logical, but I knew it annoyed me! I realised it was partly due to the change in tradition, but more to do with what that feels like. If it starts and finishes early, it’s like the main event that everything builds up to becomes the buying of things and the giving of gifts, then once that’s over, it’s all done. That’s not fair, as to many (all?) of those people it is still going primarily be about togetherness, and celebrating (for Christians) the mass of Christ. But that’s how it FEELS, like it’s one big capitalistic celebration of consumerism, then it’s over, and I don’t want that. And I speak as someone who has definitely gone overboard in the past with gifts etc (apparently it betrays my working class roots that I loved to give my child a massive pile of presents when she was v little!), I still want it to FEEL a certain way, and for me, the 12th night thing is a part of that. Possibly because when I used to work between Christmas and New Year I didn’t get to spend time with my family, or do the things that make that time special for me or for my family, so that time has come to represent something very specific for me. Like I said, not logical, and entirely my issue.

TeenLifeMum · 30/12/2023 23:58

I noticed the 4 houses on the main road by us have all taken down their lights (they had loads). Ours go up first weekend in December and will come down before I return to work/dc go back to school so about the 2 January probably.

honeyfox · 31/12/2023 00:01

Ours go up around 8-10th December and down after New Year's, probably not any later than 6th January. On that night I will light 12 candles as it's an old Irish tradition that my grandmother taught me.

EvilElsa · 31/12/2023 00:03

TeenLifeMum · 30/12/2023 23:58

I noticed the 4 houses on the main road by us have all taken down their lights (they had loads). Ours go up first weekend in December and will come down before I return to work/dc go back to school so about the 2 January probably.

We only took down our outside tree and lights as the bloody gale force winds demolished everything! Neighbours had the same issue and we all just gave up and tidied away sadly. We all got fed up of rebuilding and picking up the tree multiple times a day (and it was screwed in, the wind snapped the trunk!)

Original poster
Differentstarts · 31/12/2023 00:03

Klcak · 30/12/2023 23:54

I can’t see how it impacts you when people take theirs down. Mine came down straight after Christmas. The tree takes up space that we use.

It impacts me because I have to hear about it and see it all over social media that people got up at 6am boxing day to take their decorations down and clean their whole house from top to bottom while I'm still in the middle of celebrating Christmas. These are usually the same people who put their decorations up in November because their so excited for Christmas but then seem to be done with it as soon as the Christmas presents are open. I just don't understand if you love Christmas so much why you make it so short. But like I said it annoys me but I know im being unreasonable as people can do whatever they like

OP posts:
kkneat · 31/12/2023 00:08

I go by the traditional dates, up on first day of advent, down on 6/1/24. Thought most people did this TBH never really took much notice

Klcak · 31/12/2023 00:11

Differentstarts · 31/12/2023 00:03

It impacts me because I have to hear about it and see it all over social media that people got up at 6am boxing day to take their decorations down and clean their whole house from top to bottom while I'm still in the middle of celebrating Christmas. These are usually the same people who put their decorations up in November because their so excited for Christmas but then seem to be done with it as soon as the Christmas presents are open. I just don't understand if you love Christmas so much why you make it so short. But like I said it annoys me but I know im being unreasonable as people can do whatever they like

Show quote history

Sounds like social media is the problem

Mine came down shortly after Christmas as I said, but in fact it went up about 4 days before Christmas. Not in Nov.

i don’t “celebrate” Christmas, I endure it for the sake of my children