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To wonder why some still have Christmas trees up?

42 replies

Strawbsss · 06/02/2025 11:53

Not bashing anyone...

Genuinely interested, if you have your Christmas tree still up, can I ask why?

I see a few around my hometown, a couple seem to have just fairy lights on it so I'm wondering if it's just a 'cosy' thing?

OP posts:
Ophy83 · 06/02/2025 13:30

Mine was up until last weekend. We were away after Christmas so I didn't feel I'd had enough tree time and decided to keep it up until Candlemass. It still looked so lovely and cheered me up throughout dismal January

EphemeraleEudemonia · 06/02/2025 14:01

If you follow old traditions, you're all good until 14/15 Feb traditionally for when all Christmas greenery should be taken down. 🎄

Taking down the tree for New Year is very modern and seemingly linked to people putting up trees early in December or even November.

The 12 days of Christmas as a period was created in 567 to bring together Western celebration dates Dec 25 and Eastern dates Jan 6, (some 7th) and in the 9thC, King Alfred, said no work should be done in this period which lead to servants having to work extra hard after to catch up.

Twelfth night Jan 6th for taking tree and greenery down is relatively modern, and seems to be linked to getting servants and laborers to stop celebrating and back to all day working.

19th C It was always Candlemas Feb 2 for it all to be down. But also used to be a really important date. Beginning of the farmers year, and an important date for knowing if you had enough food still for livestock or if you needed to either obtain more or sell animals. Debts needed to be settled and it was also the contract date for many in work or apprenticeship, and traditionally when it started to become possible to work more by daylight.
Most importantly it was the day servants had to have any of the years wages owed to them paid, and could choose to leave or stay.
The church would bless a households candles for free before mass. (rest of the year payment required)

But, the date Feb 2nd for taking down Christmas greenery was moved backwards from Feb 14th/15th by Emperor Justinius 1 to coincide with the 40 day post birth (Epiphany Jan 6th) purification of Mary in the the temple.

Some to this day ignore Justinius 1 decision of moving an ancient 'end of festivities' date to an earlier one for the convenience of the Catholic church, especially if not Catholic, and happily keep to the end of the the first fortnight in Feb.14/15th.

(Many of those start much later too, and 25th of December isn't their Christmas day)

Tillow4ever · 06/02/2025 14:09

I remember my mum telling me if you hadn't got decorations down by the 12th night, it was then unlucky to take them down before Easter. So if I missed a decoration it would stay up til Easter.

Admittedly a tree is a little harder to miss, but it could be a superstitious thing!

MaltipooMama · 06/02/2025 14:21

I can tell you why 23 year old me left mine up until April in 2009, it was because it was my first Christmas in my own place and I could genuinely not be arsed to take it down 😂 it's the only year I've ever left it up past the first weekend in January but I still completely empathise with myself, it really is a pain in the arse!

Strawbsss · 06/02/2025 15:47

Oh this is great! I learnt something new - Candlemas! Thank you! 🎄

OP posts:
easylemonsqueezy · 06/02/2025 15:52

Octavia64 · 06/02/2025 12:12

I'm disabled
I prioritise getting the outside decs down - wreathe etc.

Takes me a while to work through it all.

Tree came down yesterday.
Still washing the last of the Christmas bedding.

Washing the last of the Christmas bedding in February?
Urrrgh

MrsSkylerWhite · 06/02/2025 15:55

I’ve noticed lots of external Christmas lights still up. I think things are pretty gloomy right now and people want cheering up.

Sunshineandrainbow · 06/02/2025 15:58

Took mine down yesterday, no particular reason but I am lazy and unmotivated!

Maxorias · 06/02/2025 19:39

I have three young kids. Putting away the tree is faaaar down my list of priorities. Right now I need to get the uniforms for my oldest (south hemisphere, he's going back to school next month), get plane tickets for my partner to visit their family, get more vegetables to cook some healthier meals, sell a bunch of toys and appliances that clutter up my home, make a contribution for a petition at school regarding specific costs... This is not an exhaustive list.

eremition · 06/02/2025 19:47

Maxorias · 06/02/2025 19:39

I have three young kids. Putting away the tree is faaaar down my list of priorities. Right now I need to get the uniforms for my oldest (south hemisphere, he's going back to school next month), get plane tickets for my partner to visit their family, get more vegetables to cook some healthier meals, sell a bunch of toys and appliances that clutter up my home, make a contribution for a petition at school regarding specific costs... This is not an exhaustive list.

But tbf, those things you mention really are not huge things..apart from maybe selling toys. They are just normal things which most people do without thinking of it as huge chores.

User19876536484 · 06/02/2025 20:20

Not only do we have a Christmas tree up, we have just finished eating a Christmas dinner. Now watching Red One while the Christmas pud is steaming.

ParsnipPuree · 06/02/2025 20:21

I'm in a chalet skiing.. Xmas trees everywhere. Am sure they stay put all year!😂

wastingtimeonhere · 06/02/2025 20:23

I guess for the same reason that people put them up at the beginning of November. Although they do seem to be the same people who whip them down Boxing day, which I find odd.

WhenTheyComeForYou · 06/02/2025 20:31

I’d be thoroughly depressed if my tree was still up. I love Christmas but I also love saying goodbye to Christmas and planning for the warm seasons ahead. My tree comes down before I go back to work so sometime between 28th Dec-5th Jan at the latest.

I actively avoid putting up too many decorations to minimise the amount of work required after!

Cosycover · 06/02/2025 21:03

Maxorias · 06/02/2025 19:39

I have three young kids. Putting away the tree is faaaar down my list of priorities. Right now I need to get the uniforms for my oldest (south hemisphere, he's going back to school next month), get plane tickets for my partner to visit their family, get more vegetables to cook some healthier meals, sell a bunch of toys and appliances that clutter up my home, make a contribution for a petition at school regarding specific costs... This is not an exhaustive list.

Oh wow I hope you can manage it all. It's hard to get vegetables and school clothes. Takes up so much time. God speed.

LastTrainsEast · 06/02/2025 21:10

In my family we are quite slow to take the tree down as we enjoy the cheery lights and it occurred to me that they don't have to be just for Christmas.

The last few years things have got harder - not just for us - so we've decided that we need more cheery Christmassy periods to offset that

At least 4 times a year we plan to have a few days like Xmas with lights up (probably not a tree) and a special meal/s and small treats to recapture that feeling.

Maxorias · 06/02/2025 21:18

eremition · 06/02/2025 19:47

But tbf, those things you mention really are not huge things..apart from maybe selling toys. They are just normal things which most people do without thinking of it as huge chores.

Fair enough, but I also am out of the house 8h-19h for work and commute, so that doesn't leave a lot of time for these things. By the times kids are in bed it's usually 9pm and I just want to go to bed too, not sort this stuff. Which is why it's been languishing in my todo list for a while.

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