When should you take down your Christmas Decorations?
Every year my Christmas decorations are still out and shining brightly until mid-January. Yes, I said that right in mid-January. Most of my family and friends take down their trees and lights on December 26th. Right after breakfast and coffee, the boxes are pulled out and everything is carefully packed up and put away until the day after Thanksgiving the following year.
I however never even start considering removing my Christmas decorations until mid-January. To be honest, I would keep them up until the end of January but the dirty looks and snotty comments I get from my family, friends, and neighbors pressure me into getting it done. The inside decorations anyway… the outside lights are on until the beginning of February.
Christmas decorations mean different things to different people. It’s ok if you are one of those people who want everything cleaned up for the start of the next year. I don’t judge. I do ask however you don’t judge the rest of us who savor the season a bit longer.
We all have our reasons to leave the Christmas decorations up longer. I explain my reasons below.
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Christmas Decorating Takes Time
I would love to start my Christmas decorating in September like some people but I still really love fall and that includes Thanksgiving. I just don’t want to cut the fall season short so while I may start some pre-Christmas prep work in November and I usually have my Christmas gives purchased early, I don’t start decorating until after Thanksgiving.
Since I start “late” I need to balance my time across all things Christmas. Baking cookies, wrapping gifts, attending gatherings and of course, decorating. This means it takes me a week or more to finish the Christmas decorations.
I want to be able to enjoy the work I’ve done to get everything looking festive. If I packed everything up the day after Christmas, I’d only have a few weeks after everything was decorated to enjoy the fruits of my labor.
12 Days of Christmas
Most people know the Christmas song the 12 Days of Christmas. Many people don’t know that the first day of Christmas in the song is Christmas day. According to an article published by Good Housekeeping, the exact origins are unknown the song was first printed in 1780. So for hundreds of years, we have been singing a song that clearly states we should celebrate Christmas until at least January 6.
Why January 6th? According to the liturgical calendar, January 6th is the start of the Epiphany season hence the Christmas season is over and Epiphany has started.
If you want to celebrate the entire Christmas season then January 6th should be close to when the Christmas decorations are taken down.
Christmas Decorations in Foreign Countries are Still up
Many other countries celebrate Christmas well into January and this includes Christmas Decorations. When I traveled to Peru in January. I was shocked by how many Christmas decorations I still saw. Basically, every house was still decorated and the city of Lima had Christmas sculptures still in the parks.
As a person who always leaves Christmas decorations up until mid-January, I was excited to still see how Peruvians decorated. I asked a local about the Christmas decorations and was told most leave theirs up until February. They celebrate Christmas not until the start of Epiphany (like some countries) but they celebrate Christmas the entire season of Epiphany which ends in early February.
While doing some research on other countries’ traditions, I also learned old English Heritage also had documented evidence for hundreds of years, Christmas decorations were left up until early February when Epiphany ends.
Enjoy Christmas Decorations After the Hustle and Bustle
It’s no secret the entire holiday season can be a blur. From Thanksgiving day through New Year’s Day not very many of us get time to just sit and breathe. I for one don’t! Sure I sit down and watch Christmas movies but my brain is still going 100 miles an hour about everything still coming. Last-minute gifts to buy, the cookies that need to be made, when to head out of town to avoid winter weather…it’s hard to just sit and enjoy.
I love my Christmas decorations and I want to enjoy them but during the time between finishing up and Christmas day, I just don’t get very much time. A huge reason I don’t take the decorations down until January is because of this. I never really get to truly enjoy Christmas decorations until after New Year’s Day.
Sit down for a few minutes right now and think about that. Did you really get time to sit back and let go of your thoughts, to-do lists, and activities to truly enjoy the lights, decorations, trees, garland…everything you enjoy about Christmas decorations.
Early January is the first time I truly feel like I can enjoy the Christmas Decorations. Sooooo – I leave them up to give myself time to enjoy.
Extended Christmas Celebrations
I know I’m not alone on this one. Since I was a little girl, I attended 8-10 different Christmas celebrations or events between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Often the last Christmas celebration of the season lands on New Year’s Day.
For a few years things slowed down and I was down to 4 Christmas but this year I’ve moved back up to 6. With these extended Christmas celebration events, how could I possibly take down my decorations? I mean, what would a Christmas get-together be with no Christmas decorations?
The only option is to leave the Christmas Decorations until the events are over.
Christmas Decorations Make Me Happy
The number one reason I leave my Christmas Decorations up well after Christmas Day is simple. It makes me happy. I spend most of my life doing things that make other people happy. I’m blessed and cursed with a big heart. I hate to see others upset; I hate to see others hurting; and I hate to see others in need. Because of this, I often go out of my way to help others.
This is not necessarily a bad thing but I can admit that sometimes I go out of my way for others’ happiness even if it’s to the detriment of my own happiness. Christmas Decorations are the one thing I don’t compromise on. If leaving them up into January makes me happy then I’m going to leave them up into January.
If it makes you happy, then you should do it too! It’s ok, you are not alone, most of the world celebrates longer than is culturally appropriate in the US. So sit back, watch a good Christmas movie and enjoy the beauty of your home decorated for Christmas the way you want it.
If anyone gives you a hard time, just say what I do: “we should all keep the spirit of Christmas alive all year long.”
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