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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:
ChevyCamaro · 31/12/2023 00:14

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.

I agree with this, and I'm not even Christian! When I was a kid trees etc went up maybe mid Dec, down early Jan, and the time between Xmas and at least 2nd Jan was still Christmassy.
New Year parties definitely featured Xmas decorations.
Not being Christian I tend to see the lights/ nice food as a more pagan type thing (I'm not actually pagan either) and start about 2 weeks before solstice and 2 weeks after, so 7th Dec- 4th Jan. Gets me thru the darkest point of the year (which I always thought was the point of the lights).
I do find it weird that the whole thing, which used to be about resting, visiting neighbours and family, long meals, drinking wine, and enjoying the cosiness has now become mainly about shopping, presents and deep cleaning the house...

Original poster
Differentstarts · 31/12/2023 00:16

Klcak · 31/12/2023 00:11

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

Show quote history

Partly social media partly people in real life and when asked why people always say because their sick of them which isn't surprising considering some have had them up for 2 months already.

OP posts:
blackpanth · 31/12/2023 00:18

Mine will be going down the 6th. Didn't get put up till Xmas eve

Chocolatecoveredshitpig · 31/12/2023 00:20

I take mine down first week of January, but when I first moved in with DH he seemed shocked when I did this and moaned, "my mum always left them up a bit longer". Upon some gentle questioning, (MIL is no longer with us), it transpired that she used to leave everything up, (tree, wreath, 70's ceiling decorations, the lot), until after DH's birthday, so his presents could be put under the tree. Very sweet, but his birthday is in the latter part of February. I informed him, as sensitively as possible, that this was not a tradition I was willing to recreate. 25 years later, he still makes sad eyes when I start stripping the tree on Jan 2nd 😂😂😂

ChicagoBears · 31/12/2023 00:23

I’ve no issue with what other people do, each to their own. We put ours up early December and they were down by 27 December as we are going away for some winter sun.

Original poster
Differentstarts · 31/12/2023 00:25

ChicagoBears · 31/12/2023 00:23

I’ve no issue with what other people do, each to their own. We put ours up early December and they were down by 27 December as we are going away for some winter sun.

Sounds lovely enjoy your holiday

OP posts:
Lifeinlists · 31/12/2023 00:30

@AllTheChaos entirely logical and you've put your finger on why it matters in the grand(er) scheme of things.

Luckyduc · 31/12/2023 00:58

It gets me anoid too....the kids break up for Christmas holidays 3 days before christmas day and yet don't go back to school until 8th January.....these are the Christmas holidays and what people have waited on and for me....taking down the decorations on boxing day or soon after is basically saying Christmas is over ....how bored and miserable those kids must feel.

AllTheChaos · 31/12/2023 01:02

Aww thank you @Lifeinlists - I’m glad I’m making some sort of sense!

AllTheChaos · 31/12/2023 01:03

Exactly, @ChevyCamaro, there has definitely been that shift, and I don’t care for it.

MistyGreenAndBlue · 31/12/2023 01:04

Each to their own I guess, but I can't get on board with this "clear it all away for the New Year" rhetoric. To me, at least, it's not a proper New Year without the Christmas tree up. It's just part of it

As for, "I want it down before I go back to work."
Why? It was probably up before you finished work, wasn't it? What's the difference?

12th Night is the 5th btw.

justjuggling · 31/12/2023 01:07

This year I put mine up on 17th December and took them down today. I like going into the new year with everything tidied away.

AcrossthePond55 · 31/12/2023 01:20

I used to be decs went up the 1st of Dec and came down on NY Day, usually while we're watching the Rose Parade.

But I'm older now and not quite so energetic. So they go up bit by bit the 1st week of Dec and come down over the 1st week of Jan.

What gets my goat is that my family is so anxious to get them up but not much help taking them down!

PinkCandles · 31/12/2023 01:21

People used to celebrate for the 12 days of Christmas and before that until February, but people don't really feast or party beyond 1st Jan now do they? Celebrations tend to be throughout December now I'd have thought. Christmas parties and Carol services etc.
Most people put aside the Christmas food and chocolates and eye up the cottage cheese and lettuce in January.
Tudors used to fast before the 12 days of Christmas began but we start on the mulled wine and Mince pies earlier.

ChedderGorgeous · 31/12/2023 01:22

Up straight after Halloween and down Christmas day evening, or boxing day latest 🤗

Dancerprancer19 · 31/12/2023 01:31

We take ours down the day after epiphany. Can’t have the kings arriving with presents and find the house all undecorated. But very much in the minority.

Dancerprancer19 · 31/12/2023 01:41

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.

Yep. Christmas is a religious festival to our family and we do go to church every week. There are a lot of us about 😁

mathanxiety · 31/12/2023 01:47

Mine go up 7-10 days before Christmas and come down around the 6th to 8th January. Any later and the tree would be too dry to carry out.

Terfosaurus · 31/12/2023 01:49

I don't care when others put theirs up or take them down.

Except the handful of people I know who spend most of December (and some of November for 2 of them) telling me I'm a grinch, or miserable, or boring because my decorations aren't up.
Then when they take theirs down a couple of days after Christmas tell me they don't understand how I can still be looking at them, they just hate the clutter/ like the house tidy etc etc.

Weird how they don't mind the mess we've clutter before Christmas, but it's suddenly an issue after.

My tree will be up until 12th night, or more likely the day after.

UnwantedOpinionBelow · 31/12/2023 02:02

A bit of a weird thing to get annoyed about...it's their life and isn't hurting anyone.

Original poster
Differentstarts · 31/12/2023 02:03

UnwantedOpinionBelow · 31/12/2023 02:02

A bit of a weird thing to get annoyed about...it's their life and isn't hurting anyone.

I know

OP posts:
electriclight · 31/12/2023 03:29

The 12 days of Christmas, and taking the tree down on the arbitrary 6th January, means nothing to anyone who isn't Christian.

I put mine up early because I love the run up to Christmas. I love coming home to decorations and twinkly lights, watching Christmas movies or reading by the light of the tree, get togethers and long meals with friends and family, planning thoughtful gifts, eating Christmas food. The children are excited to see the decorations up and the lights cheer up a dreary month.

They are down by NYD because to me that symbolises a fresh start. The decorations make me feel sad because my Christmas celebrations are over. I start wanting the house to feel fresh and uncluttered.

Some pp have said that it makes Christmas feel commercial but I don't understand why. I don't think my Christmas is particularly commercial. I am not religious but enjoy the festival more like the original Yule I suppose. I just prefer to enjoy it a bit earlier than you do.

MañanaramasCat · 31/12/2023 03:29

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.

Well I sing in a church choir, so was at Church for the normal morning service on the 24th, Midnight Mass that night and a 10.30 service on Christmas morning.

I don't really care what other people do even though they are wrong 🤣

Your point was?

electriclight · 31/12/2023 03:34

And I promise all the people who are worried about dc feeling sad if the decorations come down before they go back to school, that they do not. We still enjoy all of the holidays, just without decorations for the second week. One of them has a birthday that week so we are busy with other things too.

CarrotCake01 · 31/12/2023 03:36

I tend to put my tree up as close to Dec 1st as possible. For me, December is Christmas month where you can watch the films, wear the jumpers and listen to Christmas music!

I like to take mine down again before New Year, so mine are down already! I don't like the feeling that I'm dragging the old baggage into New Year and I don't have a lot of space in my small flat so it feels really refreshing to widen the living room back out again!