Hi, How long do you keep your decorations up? I asked dd to take the tree down, dh says it is bad luck, and that we should keep the tree up at least a week. I just wanted my living room back to normal, how long do you keep your tree up, and are you superstious?

By Yjja123 on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 06:54 pm:

Our tradition is:
Up the day after Thanksgiving.
Down the day after Christmas.

By Trina~moderator on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 06:56 pm:

Just took down the tree and all Christmas decorations today. Most people I know don't even wait until New Years!

By Karen~moderator on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 06:58 pm:

I took mine down today. DH had to work and the kids weren't here so I used the time to get it done. And after the tragedy with Amy and Mike's tree, I went through every single strand of lights we have, and if there was any hint that they were *bad*, I cut them up and tossed them. That has had such an effect on me.

So now everything is boxed, organized and in storage and my house is cleaned and *back to normal*.

By Sunny on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 07:04 pm:

We will do it this weekend. I leave the tree and decorations up through New Years and don't take them down until the weekend after.

Growing up, we kept the tree and decorations up until Jan. 6th (Epiphany).

By Jackie on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 07:07 pm:

Mine came down the day after Christmas. I love the decorations and love driving up and down the street looking at the lights. But to me, once its over, its over.Even tonight, I see lights still up everywhere, and it just doesnt hold the magic for me once Christmas is over.

By Kay on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 07:20 pm:

Normally, we keep our tree and decorations up until Epiphany, as well. This year, we'll wait a few days after that, because our ds is bringing his gf for a late Christmas visit with us, and he would love to show her the decorations, etc. No problem here - I love Christmas.

By Marg on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 07:22 pm:

Mine went down yesterday. I felt the same way Karen, after Amy and Mike's tragedy I hardly lit my tree at all and was happy to get rid of it (it was also real). I have a "fake" one (7 1/2 ft) on layaway until tomorrow

By Cat on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 07:43 pm:

Ours were down this past Sunday. The tree is so full it takes up a lot of room and I was glad to have that room back! That and the cat liked playing in the tree and it was driving dh nuts! lol

By Bobbie on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 08:20 pm:

I took everything down last Sunday also. I hadn't lit mine since Amy and Mike's fire either. I threw out every stran of lights I owned and will buy new next Christmas.

By Bethk on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 09:26 pm:

Everything goes up Dec.1 and comes down Dec.26. I love to decorate but the extra stuff just gets in my way. I have too much junk!

By Andi on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 10:01 pm:

We took down the tree and most of the decorations today. I wanted my living room back to normal. The only things I leave up are some little Snowmen since they are winter not Christmas.

By Marcia on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 10:10 pm:

Ours came down last weekend, and boxes were all packed away today.

By Mommyathome on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 10:21 pm:

Both of our trees came down today I wanted to leave them up longer, but tomorrow is the day the boy scouts are cominig around the neighborhood picking up all the live trees for their annual bon-fire. All of our other decorations are still up, but I'll probably get them cleaned up tomorrow. Now, I'll start looking forward to putting them all back up in 10.5 months ;)
I would like to find a couple of really nice artificial trees, but so far I haven't found any that I love. Plus it's quite possible we will move within the next couple years and I won't know how high/low our new ceilings will be....I like the trees to reach the top! Well, now I'm just jabbering
We'll have all of our decorations put away by the weekend, except for a few snowmen, as Andi said, they are *winter* decor, not just Christmas!

By Missy3 on Thursday, January 1, 2004 - 11:48 pm:

We take everything down, cuz DH can not stnd it any longer, but the tree stays till Epiphany on Jan. 6th. As we speak he is taking down the village.

By Kim on Friday, January 2, 2004 - 07:50 am:

up the day after turkey day, down the first or second of Jan, depending on what I did New Year's Eve! lol

By Conni on Friday, January 2, 2004 - 09:14 am:

I always leave mine up thru Jan 1/2... I *started* taking things down yesterday. I got the decorations out of the kitchen and living room (except the tree). Today I will take all garland off stairs/banisters/front door... I have to take a picture of my kids in front of the Christmas tree some time today. I didnt get it done before Christmas, to send out with my cards. So I decided to send the pics out in my thank you cards!! lol Immediately after that the tree is coming down.

By Tunnia on Friday, January 2, 2004 - 10:07 am:

I almost always take mine down the day after Christmas. I agree with Jackie - "once it's over it's over" and I'm ready to have my house back to normal.

By Mommyathome on Friday, January 2, 2004 - 10:24 am:

Our outside lights are still up, but yesterday is the first day we didn't turn them on. We turn them on through the end of December. The lights will stay up until there is a fairly sunny day to take them down...it's just too cold out there. But, we won't turn them on again. As for the yard decorations, they will be put away over the weekend.
I just can't believe it's over already...hmmph.

By Bellajoe on Friday, January 2, 2004 - 10:40 am:

It always comes down on New Year's Day. I was glad to get rid of it and get my family room back to normal. But i am always sad to see it go...it looked so pretty all lit up!

By Sue3 on Friday, January 2, 2004 - 01:46 pm:

Ours goes up on Thanksgiving day and usually we wait until JAn.6 to take it down .
But, I took it down the day after Christmas
this year.
DH is taking the lights down outside today.
It went by so fast, didn`t it?

By Kate on Friday, January 2, 2004 - 01:48 pm:

Everything goes up the day after Thanksgiving and eveything comes down the weekend after New Years. I find it depressing when people strip everything right afterwards. Everything goes up so early, why can't things stay for a bit afterwards as well? I agree it's nice to get the house back, but I still like to let things 'linger' and not extinguish Christmas at the stroke of midnight.

By Colette on Friday, January 2, 2004 - 07:57 pm:

My tree was out the door by 9a on 12/26. We went away for a week and I couldn't leave it up - plus I didnt want to come home to it. I usually take everything down a few days after Christmas.

By Feona on Friday, January 2, 2004 - 07:59 pm:

DS keeps telling me to throw out the tree. I think he is thinking it will make his birthday come quicker.

By Mommyathome on Friday, January 2, 2004 - 08:00 pm:

LOL Feona

By Tonya on Saturday, January 3, 2004 - 07:14 pm:

My stuff goes up the day after Thanksgiving and comes down the day after Christmas always. A month is long enough. I can never wait to get them all up but oh boy and I ready when it is time for them to come down so I can get the house back to normal. Nothing looks right after all of the presents are opened and put away.

By Momof5 on Saturday, January 3, 2004 - 10:32 pm:

Mine is still up presently,I usually have everything put away by now but this year I won't take them down for a few more days,as I had surgery on December 3rd and don't want to lift until the 6 weeks post-op time period,and I have to move a lot of things to get to the empty boxes to do that and then move a lot of things back again afterwards.I wish I had more storage room!!

By Insaneusmcwife on Saturday, January 3, 2004 - 11:45 pm:

We usually put ours up the day after Thanksgiving, and take it down before the 1st of the year. Last year we put the tree up the day after Thanksgiving and took it back down 3 days before Christmas because we moved. This year we didn't put it up because we were moving and didn't want to bother with it. I told dh we were putting it up the day after Halloween this time to make up for the last 2 years, lol.

By Bea on Sunday, January 4, 2004 - 12:53 am:

We always start decorating when we get back from our Thanksgiving trip to Pennsylvania. That's when we gather all our fresh greenery that I use. Before anything else goes up our large nativity scene is placed on the living room mantle, to remind us what we are celebrating. We keep them up until Jan. 6th usually, the Epiphany.

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, January 4, 2004 - 11:22 pm:

I haven't taken my Christmas lights off the bushes outside and tonight it snowed, so I turned them on again! I love how they look with snow on them!

By Mommyathome on Monday, January 5, 2004 - 12:57 am:

Dawn..I was SOOO close to turning our outside lights on last night because of all the fresh snow. But, I didn't because I wondered if that would make the neighbors think I was strange LOL....But guess what???? Now, I'm on my way to plug them in for awhile and look at them. If anyone says anything, I'll just say "well, Dawn did it too...so I'm not the only one" ;) Woo Hoo!! The lights are comin' back on!

By Eve on Monday, January 5, 2004 - 09:40 am:

I generally can never even make it until New Years with the tree up. Most of my decorations have been down. I do leave my snowman items out, as we get snow all season and they are fun.

My only pet peeve is when people leave the lights on the house all year round. Drives me nuts. LOL!

Dawn, I love the lights through the snow!!

By Dawnk777 on Monday, January 5, 2004 - 11:30 pm:

I was far from being the only person with Christmas lights on last night! LOL! There were plenty others that I saw when Honey and I walked last night! I took her for that walk because I knew tonight and the next few it would be too cold! It's 4 degrees F. outside right now.

By Hol on Tuesday, January 6, 2004 - 03:40 am:

Bea, I'm with you. My Nativity goes up December 1, in anticipation of Advent. I also put my wreath on the door, with a PURPLE bow, the color of Advent, and royalty. Our tree usually goes up two weeks before Christmas, along with all the other inside and outside decorations.

We usually wait until Epiphany to take them down, but because of Amy and Mike's fire, I took everything down New Years Day. We put our tree out in our back woods, so the birds can use it for winter shelter. In the Spring, before the summer dry season, we make sure all 'living things' have evacuated it, then DH either burns it, or puts it thru the chipper, and uses it for mulch.

On Christmas Eve, I replace the purple bow on my wreath with a red one, signifying the Lord has arrived. On January 6th, I put a cream coloured brocade bow on it, and leave it on until the wreath is TOTALLY dried out, then we burn it.

These traditions keep us grounded in what is really important, and is a time set apart from all the "stuff" of life, to relax, reflect and rejoice.

Happy New Year to All!

By Missymelissy on Tuesday, January 6, 2004 - 03:18 pm:

We usually start decorating around November 25th (tree up - we have an artificial one), then on New Years Day we try to take the tree down and the decorations get put away.

By Patti2angels on Tuesday, January 6, 2009 - 02:23 pm:

I've typically taken my decorations down after New Years Day, but this year I'm finding it soooooo difficult. For the first time I decorated using a Theme..."Candy Cane/Peppermint Christmas." Everything is red & white, candy canes, peppermints, red & white lights and pretty candy cane bows. I LOVE IT & I've received sooo many compliments this year.
This year we also had one of our best, most relaxing and special Christmas' in 7 years. It just saddens me to take it all down, especially my beautiful tree which is still drinking plenty of water daily.

From what I've read online the last acceptable day to display your decorations is Jan 6th, :-( Most of the comments I've read have talked about people wanting to get back to normal and glad to be undecorating. Does anyone feel like me?

I do plan on leaving my snow people, snowflakes and white lights displayed in my home. I'm even going to host a SnowFolk party for my children and their friends. I just can't let it go this year.