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Christmas

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Original poster

Christmas start/finish dates

23 replies

itllbedifferentnextyear · 28/12/2023 08:11

Hello everyone!

We have been in the habit of starting Christmas on 1st Dec and taking the lot down on Boxing Day.

I find it starts far too early for me, but I still don't really like it all ending abruptly on Boxing Day, especially as the days between Christmas and NY are rare days my partner and I get off together.

Next year I want to do it differently, like it was when I was a kid.

Not sure when to start decorating though. Pretty close to Christmas, I'm thinking. Not Christmas Eve, but certainly not 1st December!

Partner not totally on board yet, but willing to try something different. He feels deflated on Boxing Day. I am kind of glad to see it go as it's been up for a month but I do also feel we are missing something as we wait for NY.

So I guess my question is - has anyone who has been in the habit of starting Christmas on 1st December or earlier ever tried changing it to the 12 days of Christmas and how did you find it? Was it an improvement for you?

I really think I'll go for it next year.

OP posts:

DustyLee123 · 28/12/2023 08:33

My tree goes up mid December, as it’s real so won’t last a month, but I put lights up before then, so we get the cosy feel.
it comes down some time between Xmas and new year, as I don’t want to start a new year with all the decorations up.

Original poster

itllbedifferentnextyear · 28/12/2023 09:24

DustyLee123 · 28/12/2023 08:33

Edited

Yes, I also get that feeling of wanting the house put to rights and clean again for a New Year!

I kind of want the lights up around the time you do as the lead up to the solstice is the darkest time and it gets better after that (not that you'd notice for a while!) and the New Year, well, it's a fresh start.

Thanks for your input.

OP posts:

festivefoodlover2023 · 28/12/2023 10:03

We put ours up 'early' for us this year on the first weekend of December (normally we do it around the second week). Decorations always come down on the epiphany - no earlier.

dudsville · 28/12/2023 10:12

We start as near as possible to December 1st, we do some annual Christmas oriented hosting that starts the 1st weekend in December. Usually I then get bored of it all and want to take it all down on boxing day and like you o want to start the New Year with a clean house, but this year that hasn't happened yet. I suspect I'll have fairy lights out over winter, but ours are the multi coloured ones - blue green gold and red, so maybe not? I've spent the winter so far being surprised daily at the early nights though who knows what's going on with me!

Grumpynan · 28/12/2023 10:17

I hate my tree up to soon I’m tired of it by Christmas.

mine goes up on about the 15th or the nearest weekend.

then a day or two after Christmas we start packing a few things away each day, start with the Santa things - stockings/santa ornaments etc leaving just the tree and pretty lights my new year this comes down about the 3/4 January

TimeToGetSomeFlowers · 28/12/2023 10:19

We start decorating around the 1st Dec - but it's just a few Christmassy things at that time - it slowly builds until the main tree goes up around the 15th.

That means we've not had Full On decs hanging around for a mon th by Christmas and the tree still feels special.

It then all comes down around the 2-3rd Jan.

Oppositioblue · 28/12/2023 10:22

Up on 1st. Down today. This is how we do Christmas. I am not fed up putting them up on 1st. I love them but want my house back now. I have no interest in New Year and we aren’t religious.

hopeishere · 28/12/2023 10:55

Up second or third week of December and down in New Year's Day. I love getting it all down then and clearing out on the first day of the year. I'm back in work on the 2nd so want it down before then. Kids are off for another week though.

2chocolateoranges · 28/12/2023 10:57

Our tree usually goes up the weekend after the 4th december(sons birthday) and we take the tree down the 5th Jan.

love my tree, love sitting at night with just the tree lights on while watching the tv. Gives a lovely ambience to the room.

Glitterybee · 28/12/2023 11:01

Always up on the last Sunday in November and down on New Year’s Day

Original poster

itllbedifferentnextyear · 28/12/2023 11:02

I don't have kids to think about, so I can be pretty flexible.

I suppose if I analyse it, I am thinking about the solstice rather than religion and also we don't do presents any more, so my tree could technically come down any time after the solstice if it were up to me.

However, I will keep it up at least until Boxing Day as my partner likes making 25 Dec the Big Day.

After that though, I'm not sure. I'd certainly like it away for New Year. Maybe NYE I should take it down, then get some nice food in to have one last nice evening in a fresh, clean house before I get back on the treadmill!

OP posts:

SquigglePigs · 28/12/2023 11:06

We have advent calendars from the 1st of December but otherwise Christmas build up starts a bit closer to Christmas. DD's birthday is early December so it feels right to wait til after that.

Tree goes up one of the weekends mid December (the 9th this time). We then do some Christmas activities with DD in the week or two before Christmas. This year a Santa visit at a farm with friends and a local light show plus shows/parties at school.

Growing up the tree always came down on New Year's Day as part of the clean up from the NYE party my parents hosted. We've kept with that tradition although if we're away for NYE it sometimes comes down either 30/31st or 2nd.

I like to start the New Year clear but the bit between Christmas and NY still feels like "Christmas" so I'd be sad to take it all down much earlier. This is partly because we have a big extended family so we did Christmas itself with one half and we're doing "Christmas round 2" today.

Cotswoldbee · 28/12/2023 11:10

Our tree & decorations have always gone up on the first weekend of double figures and come down just after NY (we don't wait until 12th night).
Suits us and it is what our parents did.

Pipistrellus · 28/12/2023 11:13

We start the main festivities and start on the food from solstice but with an advent calendar up from the first (or the first weekend if I haven't got to it yet) and Christmas cards up as we get them. Finish on twelfth night, some decorations down then, some left through January.

dementedpixie · 28/12/2023 11:13

We put our tree/decorations up mid December and take them down new years eve or new years day

DrunkenKoala · 28/12/2023 13:23

Tree and decorations go up first or second Saturday in Dec. (DP and DS are season ticket holders so the fixtures kind of dictate when)
Either take them down on NYD or the 2nd in time for DD’s birthday a few days later. I don’t want her birthday celebrations still being mixed in with Christmas, but I still like getting up on NYD to have the decs still up.

Growlybear83 · 28/12/2023 13:43

I put my tree up much earlier than usual this year, on 19 December, because my daughter came home on the 20th and I didn't want to waste any of the time she was here decorating. I always take the tree down on 12th night.

Rosesandstars · 29/12/2023 00:36

We take the tree down on epiphany (6th Jan), which is traditional and put it up usually 5-10th Dec or sometimes as late as 16th Dec. January is a very long, dark month and it's sort of what festivals of lights around the world are meant for so I don't really understand the whole take-it-all-down for New Year thing but everyone has their own preferences!

Original poster

itllbedifferentnextyear · 29/12/2023 07:35

Thanks for everyone's input!

I think I'll try persuading my partner that we put up the decorations a bit later in December and leave them up until New Year at least, preferably a bit longer.

I am excited when the decorations go up (even as early as the 1st which my partner likes) but then I find I am all burned out by the time Christmas Day rolls around. Then, when the stuff comes downs Boxing Day it seems such an abrupt ending.

It'll be interesting to try something new next year. Can't believe I'm still thinking about Christmas, but I wanted to make a new plan while I still have some strong feelings about it. Last year, I felt the same, but I didn't want to face it until nearer Christmas with the result that I just went sleepwalking into the same old Christmas as usual!

OP posts:

Nonplusultra · 29/12/2023 17:40

Advent calendars on 1st December. Tree goes up on first weekend of December, then rest of house decorations go up a bit at a time.

The gift shopping is done by then, and the focus is on getting the house in order, cooking, etc.

Once Christmas Day is over, I relax for a good few days, and we watch movies, live on left overs and snacks, cuddle and chat. As long as the dishes get washed and the bins are emptied, the rest can wait. It’s our cosy, quiet time.

Then we all find homes for our new stuff (donation box handy) and start moving again, host or visit, go out for groceries, get out for walks. All the decorations stay up until the kids go back to school.

I store mine in boxes labelled by room, and any ordinary vases, throws, etc go up in the attic in the empty box for the month. It helps to keep things from feeling too cluttered. And I tend to be a bit selective about what I put back too and declutter as I do.

I enjoy this side of Christmas much more than the build up which can be stressful and a lot of hard work. I don’t want to pack it away too soon. I’ve only just caught the Christmas spirit.

ChristmasEvemaddness · 29/12/2023 19:47

We put Dec's up second weekend of December and keep them up as long as we feel like it. Some years soon after new year, other times longer.

ThisMustBeMyDream · 29/12/2023 20:12

I don't get the whole taking them down early thing. But we are the kind of family who drag out festivities for as long as we can! Our tree and all decorations/outdoor lights go up usually around 1st December. Don't come down until epiphany. In fact this year I'm not taking them down until the 7th as kids broke up late and go back late. I'm also off work from 1st for a week so I'd like to make that still Christmassy! Our last Christmas visitor this year comes to stay on 5th also (my mum). We have lots of family to fit in over the 2 weeks so we really do want to keep the decorations up as long as possible!
Last year we put the decorations etc up on 15th November as it was likely to be the last Christmas in our house and I absolutely loved how amazing it looked with the tree in the bay window and all adorned in Christmas. It was really special. Still didn't take them down til the 6th!
Ps. I'd love a real tree again, but they don't last long enough when putting them up for 5 weeks so I have 2 fake ones instead.

BornOnTwelfthNight · 30/12/2023 16:02

Ours goes up at the beginning of December but take it down on or as close to twelfth night (5th Jan) as possible. When we were kids ours always went up 12 days before and twelve days after, so 6th Jan.
we like to keep ours up for new year as it’s still the Christmas period ( if you follow the 12 days of Christmas).
Also winter is so long and drawn out, we like to keep them up for the maximum time.

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