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The Daily Horizon

How long should you leave your Christmas tree up?

Author

Mia Horton

Updated on January 19, 2026

According to tradition, a Christmas tree should be kept up until 12 nights after Christmas. In the Christian religion, the Christmas season ends on the Epiphany, which is celebrated on January 6.

When should you take Christmas tree down?

Epiphany is the official end of the festive season on 6th January each year. It's an ancient Christian feast day celebrating the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, and the arrival of the Three Wise Men.

When should Christmas tree go up and come down?

Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, known as Advent Sunday, and always ends on Christmas Eve (24 December). This means that this year, Advent falls on Sunday 28 November and is the earliest date that tradition dictates you should be putting your tree up.

Is it bad luck to take down your Christmas tree early?

Some people believe that you may have bad luck in the New Year if you take your Christmas tree down after midnight on December 31st. If you are superstitious, you may want to take the tree down before midnight on New Year's Eve to avoid any bad luck in the next year.

Why do you keep your Christmas tree up until January 6?

In the Christian religion, the Christmas season ends on the Epiphany, which is celebrated on January 6. This marks the date when the Three Kings arrived to bring gifts to baby Jesus, and reportedly dictates the best time to take down your holiday decorations—including the Christmas tree.

How long can one guy keep his Christmas tree up?

What date is the 12th night after Christmas Day?

Date. In many Western ecclesiastical traditions, Christmas Day is considered the "First Day of Christmas" and the Twelve Days are 25 December – 5 January, inclusive, making Twelfth Night on 5 January, which is Epiphany Eve.

Does anyone leave their Christmas tree up all year?

They found that on average, Americans take their tree down about three weeks (2.9 weeks, to be exact) after Christmas. And 25% of those surveyed admitted to judging those who take the tree down later than "the norm." As part of the survey, Treetopia also discovered which states leave their trees up the longest.

When should Christmas decorations come down 2022?

When is Twelfth Night 2022? Twelfth Night traditionally falls on January 5 or January 6 - depending on when you start counting the 12 days of Christmas. The Church of England's countdown starts on Christmas Day, meaning decorations should be down by January 5.

When should outdoor Christmas decorations be taken down?

For many around the world, January 5 or 6 marks the Epiphany ‒ the final day of the 12 days of Christmas and the time for all holiday decorations to come down.

Why do we take Christmas decorations down on the 12th night?

Why do people take their Christmas decorations down then? According to tradition, Christmas trees and decorations should be taken down on either Twelfth Night or Epiphany to avoid bad luck after the season of merriment.

Are you supposed to take your Christmas tree down before New Years?

Dec. 31: Take your tree down on New Year's Eve before the bells toll at midnight. Otherwise, it's said you'll be dragging all your baggage and bad luck from last year into the new year… if you're superstitious about these things, that is.

When should I take down my Christmas tree in February?

According to one superstition, Christmas decorations not taken down by Twelfth Night should be left up until Candlemas Day (February 2) and then taken down.

Do you turn off Christmas lights at night?

Not exactly the kind of holiday excitement you're looking for. Though the CPSC doesn't recommend leaving your Christmas lights on overnight, the television show MythBusters decided to take the question of whether or not leaving Christmas lights on your tree overnight can start a fire, and put it to the test.

Is it OK to leave Christmas lights up all year?

There is no rule that says garlands are for Christmas. Wherever you hang your garlands during the holiday, your fireplace mantle, porch railings, or over your door, you can leave them up and lit all year long. Keep the lights but change out the greenery!

Is it OK to leave Christmas lights on all night?

While it might seem like a festive treat for the neighbors, it could lead to problems for your home and electricity over time. Before leaving lights on, check the label to determine whether the bulbs and wattage can handle a long night of illumination. Generally, we recommend turning them off before bed.

Do Christmas decorations come down on 6th January?

When you take your decorations down depends upon when you put them up, but 6 January is a good marker - and the feast of the Epiphany, when you can celebrate the coming of the Good News to all.

What is the Twelfth Night?

Twelfth Night is the last night of the Christmas season, when the normally rigid households of Shakespeare's day permitted a degree of topsy-turvey. Playing with this theme of confusion, Shakespeare's Twelfth Night; or, What You Will begins with a shipwreck on the coast of Illyria.

When should Christmas decorations go up?

Many traditionalists would tell you that the Christmas tree and other decorations should only go up on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, which is the first day of Advent. This year, it falls on Sunday 1 December, which works out well for those who see the start of the month as the right time to put up a tree.

Is it good luck to leave your Christmas tree up?

January 5 is technically the 12th day of Christmas, and so removing the tree earlier is “actually unlucky.” But, for what it's worth, some also say that taking the tree down later than January 5 or January 6 is bad luck, too.

Why does the Queen leave her Christmas decorations up till February?

The Queen keeps her decorations up until the 6th February, to mark the anniversary of the death of her beloved father, King George VI, who passed away at the Sandringham Estate on 6th February 1952.

Can you leave Christmas tree up until February?

However, Roman Catholic families can choose to keep their tree up until 2nd February, according to the traditions of Candlemas, which commemorates the presentation of Jesus at the Temple.

Which religion doesn t believe in Christmas?

Millions of Christians do not observe Christmas. Among them are Quakers, Jehovah's Witnesses, and members of the Churches of Christ. Some of the half-dozen Christian faiths that do no celebrate Dec.

What do you eat on Twelfth Night?

The punch wassail is consumed on Twelfth Night and throughout the Christmas season, especially in the UK. Around the world, special pastries such as the tortell and king cake are baked on Twelfth Night, eaten the following day for the Feast of the Epiphany celebrations.

What is the Christmas cycle?

Christmastide, commonly called the Twelve Days of Christmas, lasts 12 days, from 25 December to 5 January, the latter date being named as Twelfth Night. These traditional dates are adhered to by the Lutheran Church and the Anglican Church.

When should I take down my winter decorations?

She told Newsweek: "The official end of the festive season is the 6th of January, so taking decorations down any time from the 1st through to the 6th is recommended.