With Christmas coming up fast, thoughts automatically turn to choosing a Christmas tree. Pine trees are the #1 natural live Christmas trees most people opt for, with cedar trees (Also known as the eastern red cedar tree) being a close second due to their fragrant smell, Dennis Sons of Tn Nursery. Problems arise when discussions turn to how long you should keep your tree up and decorated in your home or business. You can make many choices when it comes to putting up and taking down your tree, with many people now decorating on Thanksgiving night. The controversy over when to take down your tree has been ongoing for years, with different dates depending on religious and cultural beliefs.
As a significant addition to the Christmas period, the Christmas Tree is seen as creating Christians in Germany who brought evergreen trees into their homes. Adding decorations to your trees has been done for decades, with Germans again being the driving force behind the development of these additions. For the addition of lights to your trees, the Protestant leader, Martin Luther, is credited with placing candles in his family's tree in Germany to try and replicate the stars glimpsed through the forest of fir trees near high home.
The Victorians made the Christmas trees, especially pine trees, a popular part of Christmas in the 19th century when Britain's Queen Victoria and her German-born husband, Prince Albert, brought the tradition to the U.K. Christmas trees and decorations had been banned in the colonies of the U.S. when the first colonists arrive in the Americas. However, picturing the young Royal Family with their Christmas tree in popular magazines in 1846 changed many in the U.K. and the U.S., leading to the trend for Christmas trees taking off.
Once the Christmas tree became a popular part of Christmas, attention began to turn to the correct time to take down your tree. Until January 1, the old wives' tales were said to keep from having bad luck, but the earliest traditions saw Christmas celebrations lasting even longer. The famous Christmas carol, "The 12 Days of Christmas," gives a clue to the best time to take down your tree based on the Christian beliefs of the Holiday season. The common misunderstanding about the 12 days of Christmas is that they refer to the buildup to December 25 each year. However, the truth behind this period is it begins on December 25 and runs for 12 days after Christmas Day.
There is still some confusion about which day you should take down your tree on the 12th day of Christmas, usually classed as January 6. Some people believe the good luck runs out on the night of January 5, which is the eve of the epiphany when the mystical Three Kings or Three Wise Men made their way to the manger to visit the newborn Jesus.
In the last few years, the decisions about when to take down your tree are not always as difficult as you may believe, with many people looking to make their own decisions about when they will decorate their homes. The many decisions taken about taking your tree down are based on your personal preferences. The tradition of taking down your tree on January 1 was based on the traditional end of the Holidays for most businesses following the New Year's Day bank holiday. In the past, the Tudors would keep their Holiday season going until the start of February, meaning any decorations would remain in place for months.
There is a growing trend for taking down your Christmas tree and decorations on the evening of December 25 or during the daytime of the 26th as more people quickly return to work during the gap between Christmas Day and New Year. Taking down your Christmas tree is now a question of personal choice and depends on several factors, including when children return to school and adults head back to work.
Another issue you should consider is how long you want to keep your Christmas tree in your home, no matter how attractive it may be. If you believe you should wait until January 1, the old wives' tales said to keep you from having bad luck, you should think about the first step to take to think about how long your tree will remain safe in your home. Most trees are recommended to remain in place for five weeks to ensure they do not become a hazard.
