When should you take your Christmas tree down? The best date to put your decorations away

Do you know why the tree stays up nearly a fortnight after Christmas?
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After Christmas and New Year's Eve, we are left wondering when to pack away the Christmas decorations.

While Christmas Day may have been a week ago, the buzz and hype seem to have disappeared almost overnight.

As soon as the clock ticked over to the Boxing Day, the tree began to look deflated and the decorations looked ready to go into hibernation.

But while December 25 has been and gone, we are still technically celebrating the 12 days of Christmas, which means the tree will stay in the corner of the room for another few days.

So when is the best time to take down your tree, and what are the 12 days of Christmas? The Standard takes a look.

Why do trees stay up nearly a fortnight after Christmas?

Traditionally, Christmas trees are taken down 12 days after Christmas – on January 5.

But there is some dispute over the date as the Church of England says January 5 is the Twelfth Night while some people count the 12 days after Christmas beginning on Boxing Day meaning it would fall on January 6.

Depending on which system you follow, January 5 or 6 can be the solution if you're desperate to hold onto that holiday mood.

These days, though, there are other variables that could influence when we take down or put up our decorations, such as the expense of electricity for several strings of fairy lights. In the end, it is up to individuals when to take their tree down.

What is the Twelfth Night?

According to the Church of England, the Twelfth Night is January 5 and the day of Epiphany – when the three wise men came – is January 6.

Why do people take their Christmas trees down on the Twelfth Night?

Because this officially marks the end of Christmas.

Is it bad luck to keep your tree up after the Twelfth Night?

According to legend, yes, as the tree spirits take shelter in Christmas greenery and holly during the festive season.

Yet, once this period of time has passed the spirits need to be released back into the wild. Failure to do so, as legend states, means greenery will not grow back come spring leading to farming problems and food shortages. 

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