When Should You Take Christmas Trees Down?
The holidays let families celebrate Christmas and fill homes with Christmas trees lined with ornaments and lights. Christmas trees are also Christmas's most recognized symbol, and the most popular choices for Christmas trees are pine trees because of their beautiful greenery and Eastern Red Cedar trees for their scent. When the holidays are over and the celebrations are done, one question plagues all. When should we take our Christmas trees down?
The answer to this question has sparked debate for centuries and has been answered with \religious traditions, customs, and cultural practices. The answer to this question doesn't have to be complicated. Some are ready to take down the trees and decorations as soon as the celebrations are over.
Some take down the trees and decorations after the New Year, and others take down the decorations after the Eastern Orthodox Christmas celebration, which is on January 7. In this article, we will help quell the confusion revolving around the age-old question of when we should take Christmas trees down to help avoid cultural and visual bad luck.
The Origins of the Christmas Tree
Bringing evergreens into the house during winter has been a tradition for centuries in many cultures around the world, but the modern-day Christmas tree originates from Germany. In the 16th century, German Christians first brought Christmas pine trees to their home and decorated and celebrated them. They decorated Christmas trees with candles, ornaments, and sweets to celebrate the holiday.
Customs didn’t spread to the U.S. till the 19th century, but visits from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's Christmas tree in 1846 spread a wonderment and fascination about the Christmas tree tradition to families and homes around the world. Christmas trees were loved, but when and why to take them down raised questions.
When Should You Take Your Christmas Tree Down?
Taking down a Christmas tree is a matter of when you feel it is right, but there are holidays and traditions that date back hundreds of years to help you decide when to take down your Christmas tree and decorations. ations:
The 12 Days of Christmas
For example, the Epiphany Christmas season is a holiday that falls on the 6th of January. This holiday commemorates the visit of the 3 Wise Men to the infant Jesus and is the end of the 12 Days of Christmas, which begin on Christmas Day, December 25th, and end on January 5th. Most people, including many Christians, take down their Christmas decorations and trees on January 6th, the day of the Epiphany. That date is the end, and most believe it is appropriate to take down the tree and decorations.
The Debate of January 1st
Taking your tree down on January 6 is the tradition for some people, but for others, the tree is taken down right after January 1st. This is mostly due to the tradition of businesses and people having all of their holiday decorations taken down by January 1st, after the holiday is over and the season is closed. Some people decorate for Christmas and the New Year, and in some cultures, taking down Christmas decorations and New Year decorations before the new year arrives is a sign of hospitality and good luck.
The Reason for Your Preference
In today's world, having the holiday tree taken down is often the individual's reason for choosing. Some may want to take the tree down immediately after Christmas, while others may want to take the tree down after New Year's. The holiday decorations are often taken down when children go back to school, and adults go back to their jobs. This results in families taking down the tree and packing up holiday items when it's most convenient for the family.
How Long Should You Keep Your Tree Up?
A very important thing to consider when deciding to take your holiday tree down is how long it will be safe in your home. Trees, especially natural ones, can become dried up, which can become a fire hazard. Experts say that trees should not stay in your home for longer than 5 weeks after being cut. Therefore, to be safe, people tend to take their trees down after New Year's.
Other Holiday Plants and Traditions
Christmas trees are the most usual holiday decor for most; however, people also decorate and celebrate with other holiday plants. Poinsettias, holly, mistletoe, and cedar trees are also popular to decorate and use in holiday decor. These plants are just as special and can be kept up longer than the Christmas tree if you would like to.
Poinsettias: These plants are often used as a holiday centerpiece for their bright red and green leaves. Unlike Christmas trees, poinsettias can stay in the home for weeks after the holiday.
Holly: This plant is often used in wreaths and garlands. Holly can represent protection and good fortune, so you can definitely leave it up throughout January.
When Should Christmas Decor Be Packed Away
Ultimately, different customs and traditions provide different guidelines for taking Christmas decor down, but popular customs suggest taking decor down by Twelfth Night/January 5 to avoid bad luck. Though within some Christian customs, Christmas celebrations won't be over until the Epiphany on January 6. January 6 is when Christmas decor is taken down.
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FAQs
What date should the Christmas tree come down?
The traditional time for taking trees down is after the Epiphany on January 6. However, some may choose to take the tree down sooner, such as after New Year's Day. Others may choose to leave their tree up until the end of the 12 days of Christmas.
Is 12th night 5th or 6th January?
The 12th Night of Christmas is on the Night of January 5. This marks the end of the Christmas season, with Epiphany the day after, on January 6. So this is when most people choose to take down their Christmas decor.
When am I supposed to take my Christmas tree down?
Traditionally, January 6 is the date to take down your Christmas tree because the 12 Days of Christmas are over, and it is the time to celebrate the Epiphany. There are others, however, who take it down earlir for their own personal customs.
Why do we take Christmas decorations down on January 6th?
January 6 is the Epiphany, and it is said to be when the Three Wise Men visited Baby Jesus. January 6 is when the Christmas season is over, and that is why decorations are taken down.
What is the official day to take down your Christmas decorations?
January 6 is the official date to take down your Christmas decorations because it is the Feast of Epiphany in the Christian tradition. However, it can be different depending on the individual and cultural customs.
Where in the Bible does it say not to put up a Christmas tree?
Some people might reference Jeremiah 10:3-4 to justify the claim, but the Bible does not mention Christmas trees. Jeremiah discusses idol worship and the decoration of trees. However, the Christmas tree as we know it today has nothing to do with either the decoration of trees or idol worship, and the practices of that time period, having grown secular and commercialized over the centuries.
