When do you take down your Christmas tree and decorations?

[hlthe2b]

I ask this because I got up to walk my sweet doggy this morning before 7 and my neighbor had already taken down his outdoor tree and all the lights--totally gone. He must have done so REALLY early this morning or even last night.

Now, I never do too much outside--just a "welcome" basket of winter greenery and holly berries hanging beside the door that I intend to leave for several weeks now, since it isn't strictly "Christmas". Inside, I only had a small tabletop tree this year, so I'm definitely not of that "excessive" group. And, I do recall my Mom getting antsy well before New Year's to get the tree down and out. But, since they were always "real" trees, I think she had a point about increasing fire hazard

So what do you all do? How long to leave up the tree? How long on outdoor decorations?

[FSogol]

1. Jan 6. n/t

[MattBaggins]

3. Jan 7

[dana_b]

29. yep - after the Epiphany

we didn't put ours up until late so we're just enjoying it now.

[taterguy]

2. When I have to make room for July 4 Decorations

[Adsos Letter]

4. Take them down?

We're supposed to do that?

[Populist_Prole]

5. Well,, back in the day growing up as a kid, Jan 2nd.

Never put the tree up till about Dec 22nd or 23rd though.

I don't put up trees anymore.

[hlthe2b]

9. Oh sure... I'm not criticizing him... Just feeling nostalgic, because that was how my Mom felt...

Christmas is over--get it out of there!

So, now I'm feeling like I need to take down the little tree, though my dog's fascination with the lights might convince me to leave it up a little longer. She's taken to coming downstairs late at night to nap under it, if I forget to turn it off.

[Neoma]

7. What Christmas tree?

Hehe.

[one_voice]

8. My tree came down today...

The needles from this one were driving me nuts! I usually only leave it up a few days after anyway. Never till after the new year.

All my decorations--including the tree--are usually down no later than the 29th.

[demtenjeep]

10. its coming down today!

I love Christmas, but by the end of the holidays, it is time to put my house back in order!

[Joe Shlabotnik]

12. December 26th 1997

Haven't put one up since. I know I'm in the extreme minority, but I couldn't give a rats ass for all the hype of Christmas, glad the nonsense is over for another year.

[hlthe2b]

13. Went five years without any decorations at home, but felt like a little cheerful color this year...

The only real nod I give the holiday excess-- A tiny tree with white lights--even without ornaments just looks so pretty in the window. It really does brighten an otherwise sometimes gloomy time of year. But, I surely understand the ambivalence. My family has dwindled to the point we don't do gifts and I try really hard to avoid most of the excessive food and drink as well. Avoiding most of the mall and televised shopping hysteria leaves a lot of "relaxation" rather than hype. For that I am grateful...

[onlyadream]

14. january 2nd

It seems rather depressing taking it down the day after Christmas...since, to me. Christmas time goes thru New Years. My SIL takes it down on Christmas!

[Denninmi]

15. Personally, I prefer to take it down on New Years Day or soon thereafter.

Get sick of it fast after that. I don't like to see it linger. Some people keep the lights and decorations up far too long. If you must keep something up, at least change it out -- get rid of the red and green, maybe swap out some of it for something done mainly in white, with perhaps some fresh vivid greens and a tiny bit of silver for accent -- at least that sort of says "New Year" and winter.

One of my favorite lines from 'Roseanne' was Roseanne Connor's retort to her daughter Becky's complaint about Roseanne's dead Christmas tree still being up, brown and crispy, in the living room on Valentine's Day:

"Well, Becky, if I take it down now, I won't have anything to do on Easter."

[hlthe2b]

17. Love that comment from Roseanne...

LOL

What a hoot.

[TheCentepedeShoes]

16. Ours will come down

Next Saturday
I like to start the New Year fresh

[Maccagirl]

18. This year it will be January 3rd

since I have next Monday off, just like today.

[rurallib]

19. we unplug the lights and leave it in the corner.

I got tired of hauling it up and down -----------------

[MorningGlow]

20. My neighbors across the street are like that

Both retired, but not feeble, so they have no excuse that they are pressed for time or have to have the kids help when they're available. They're just antsy to clear stuff out as soon as possible. They set the standard for the street--their tree appears on the curb, and it's like PEER PRESSURE for the rest of us. "Why aren't you as efficient?!?!?" They've lightened up a bit since their grandchildren came along, though--now the tree hits the curb around the 28th instead the crack of dawn on the 26th.

Me, I resist the peer pressure. My tree stays up till it's nice and crispy and half the needles are on the floor--well into January. But this year we got a Siberian pine, which apparently dries up way faster than other types, so I have a sneaking suspicion it's departing before New Year's.

[seabeyond]

21. new years day. too tired today. i took down immediately one year

and hubby had a tough time with it, lol.

[JoePhilly]

22. usually, the first full non Holiday week-end in Jan when it doesn't rain, unless ...

that weekend is also in the first week of Jan, or ... I just don't feel like doing it yet.

Which means, somewhere between Jan 8th, and around Jan 20th or so ... depending on weather, and my mood.

I also have a neighbor who throws it all out immediately ... he also puts the tree up on the Friday after Thanksgiving. So by Christmas, he has a fire hazard.

So and interesting twist on your question would be to ask both when do you put it UP, and when does it come down.

Mine goes UP about 10 days prior to Christmas, and comes down about 1 month later.

But if you put it up at Thanksgiving, and take it down the day after ... that's also about 1 month.

So the trees are Up for the same duration, but over different dates.

[Graybeard]

23. After the Twelve Days Of Christmas.

That would be Jan 6 but this year I'll do it on Jan 7 which is a Saturday.

[jannyk]

24. Twelth Night.

They don't go up until the weekend before Christmas though.

[Kali]

25. try to get it down by Feb 7

which is the next "holiday" in the family, didn't even put one up this year

[femmocrat]

26. The tree is coming down on Jan. 3.

Some of the other decorations can stay up another week or so. I usually leave the wreath on the front door until mid-Jan.

[a la izquierda]

27. We always took ours down on January 6th.

I grew up in a very strict Catholic home, and that's when Christmas ends to at least some Mediterranean Catholics. My Irish family just sort of went along for the ride.

[applegrove]

28. I try and keep the tree up as long as possible. I just love it.

[distantearlywarning]

30. Sometime soon after Jan 1st

Not Catholic, but to me the "holidays" last through New Year's Day.

This year it will probably be Jan 2nd or 3rd, because we both have the day off and will have time to work on it.

[mysuzuki2]

31. I took mine down about 5 years ago. Never put in back up.

[Ava]

32. New Years Eve

Tradition in our neck of the woods is to take down the tree on New Years Eve. Leaving it up past then is "bad luck."

[IBEWVET]

33. Jan 7th n/t

[HappyMe]

34. June.

lol! Don't know. After the New Year sometime.

[Irishonly]

35. Usually we take the tree down when it gets dry

We took it down on the 26th. We waited until my daughter got home this year to get it since it has been a tradition for father and daughter to get it. We couldn't find a small tree and didn't have sense enough to cut it to four feet. We have the Rowdy Ranger who weighs 110 pounds but believe he is the size of a teacup dog. He kept trying to walk under it. He got tired of being told to be careful. Lights were on the floor and I gave up trying to keep unbreakable ornamant on the bottom. He is much happier.

Usually I say every year the decorations will stay up till Jan 6th but Jan 2nd is the day the house goes back to normal.

[MiddleFingerMom]

36. kick n/t

[hobbit709]

37. Tree??