“Are we having a tree UN-decorating party?” asked my daughter this morning. The annual family Christmas tree trimming party, complete with eggnog and homemade gingerbread, is one of the highlights of the season at our home. “Hmmm, do you think that would be fun?” I asked. “Not really,” she sighed.
Not at all, I think to myself. De-decking the halls and house is not something I enjoy. My family loves the holiday season so very much. It’s a bit of a downer to remove all the decorations and store them away in cold plastic crates in the basement, where they hibernate for eleven months of each year.
And so we postpone the sad chore. Usually until the first weekend after New Year’s Day. I know some folks who wait even longer. When do you take down the tree and remove other festive decor?
Generally depends on the condition of the tree. If it’s dropping needles like a Jets’ receiver does footballs, it hits the curb early. If we can stretch it out until New Year’s Day, we try to do that. Outdoor lights come down quickly though, before it gets too cold.
Although I decorated the tree earlier than Christmas Eve, which was when we did it when I was a child, I still keep the family tradition of Little Christmas. My tree, drooping boughs and dropping needles, stands till the Epiphany.
We take ours down the day after New year’s.
Twice in my life I’ve seen trees in the garbage can on Christmas morning. Twice in my life I’ve seen fully decorated trees in the garbage on Christmas eve. At least in the latter two instances I suspect domestic violence and alcoholism/drug abuse. But all four occurrences surely come with stories that should not be told to young children.
day after Russian Christmas
Like DagT, little Christmas or the Epiphany for me. The lights add such a nice glow at night.
Usually, I like to take everything down by December 26. It’s too depressing after Christmas. However the house looked really nice this year so maybe I’ll leave it up until New Year’s.
Saw a tree in the gutter today
with one glass ornament
still attached
Sad
My tree is put up on the Sunday after Thanksgiving and stays up until the Feast of the Epiphany.
Our tree will be lying corpse-like on the sidewalk by noon on New Year’s day.
My decorations stay up ’til the Epiphany