Guest Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 ...do you all take your trees down? Mine came down this morning, in preparation for a houseful of over-excited 4/5 year old girls tomorrow for Caitlins birthday, and the house looks lovely and tidy (maybe now is the time to take some photos of my livingroom! ), and so much bigger than it did an hour ago! I've always taken my tree down at some point during the week between Christmas and New Year, but my mum calls me a 'grumpy old scrooge' for doing this. I like to start the New Year with a fresh, tidy house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 Well 'Grumpy Old Scrooge' I think officially it is the 5th of January, but my little pathetic, last minute tree came down yesterday as the needles were driving me mad! The garland is still around the mantle piece, it looks so nice, I may leave it there all year!! Hope Caitlin has a lovely Birthday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 Evening of 6th Jan here. I don't put it up until about 20th Dec. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 Christmas officially lasts for 12 days, hence 5th January being 12th Night. January 6th is Epiphany - the arrival of the Wise Men. My tree stays up until 12th Night, but if school has already started (7th this year) I can feel a little silly. Like you Shona, I have been known to take the tree down to make space for an invasion of friends (but the other decorations stay up). Like you too, I love the space that putting it all away creates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 oops...meant evening of 5th Jan. If you leave them up after that don't you have to fry them with tinsel or summat?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 As soon as possible after new years for me - I like to take advantage of the daughters being here to help & Hubby to put the decos back in the loft I do keep a couple of string of fairy lights up all year in the kitchen though,as I love them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 Twelth night for me too. Mind you the outdoor lights will only be switched off then - if the weather isn't good for climbing about on the roof I'll leave them till its fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 I used to hate the way the living room looked so bare when we took all the decorations down so now I take one thing (a few cards, or a couple of candles, or a bit of tinsel) down each day after New Year and the last thing (the tree) down on 12th Night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 We're going to take ours down sometime next weekend. We don't go overboard on the decorations so it isn't too much of a shock to the system with everything looking bare after Christmas. Last year the corner by the door looked really dark when I had put my angel lights away, so I have twigs there now which have little lights on them which i switch on during gloomy days to brighten the room up. We even discussed last night the action plan of removing the tree, since it will shed its needles everywhere when disturbed. We decided on through the double doors then into the kitchen & straight out through the patio doors would be least messy, rather than trying to get it around the corner in the porch & out of the front door Is that the kind of conversation that 12 years of marriage has wrought? i'm feeling very smug as I have hoovered all through the house, cleaned the bathroom & done 3 loads of washing this morning. Just a load of ironing to do at some point this year...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 We even discussed last night the action plan of removing the tree, since it will shed its needles everywhere when disturbed. We decided on through the double doors then into the kitchen & straight out through the patio doors would be least messy, rather than trying to get it around the corner in the porch & out of the front door Top tip from an old bag with years of experience! Wrap the tree in an old sheet before you drag it out. It makes quite a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jules. Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 Oh Egluntine what a great tip. And... you are NOT an old bag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 Oooh, thanks Egluntine, I'd never thought of that, but what a great idea I iknow that 6th night is traditional for tree taking down, but once Christmas has been and gone I like to get rid, and start the New Year with a clutter free and tidy home. Well, it's like that for one day a year at least . We usually take down the tree and decorations on New Years Day. Generally we're feeling a bit listless after the night before, so it's a nice gentle job sorting through everything and putting the away safely for next year, and then I feel as if I've started New Year on a positive note Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 I'm a bit nervous about putting my decorations away since my lovely carefully collected over the years selection has vanished. I shall post the exact location on the forum when I put them away, and then if the same thing happens next year I shall ask someone if they can remember where I said they were. I am still totally mystified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tessa the Duchess Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 New years day for me too. Our tree is 'living' we keep it going year after year in the garden. Don't want to subject it to central heating for any longer than possible Tessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 In my defence, I still have the tree up in the porch - that will stay up for a few more days, but the rest is now safely packed away. When I was younger, before we had children, I used to take the tree down in the evening of Christmas day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 Ours come down on the 12th night too, the lounge suddenly grows We usually get an old sheet or tarp and 2 of us hold it and another grapples the tree over into it, then it's wrapped tightly and taken outside to spring all the needles over the drive I was a bit greedy and had 3 trees Because of the extension we had one in the lounge, one in the playroom and one in the dining room karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 When I was younger, before we had children, I used to take the tree down in the evening of Christmas day... I am shocked!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 By 12th night, I'm so fed up with the dust and the light being blocked through the French doors that we have to take the decorations down much earlier. I'm contemplating taking them all down on New Years Day again this year as LSH goes back to work the next day so Christmas is over for us by then. The wreath stays on the front door until 12th night though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 New years eve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 My decorations go up as near to Christmas Eve as possible, it depends when I finish work really, and will come down on the 5th of January. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 5th or 6th here. I want them up as long as possible (they've been up since the 1st of December!) I hate taking down my trimmings, its so cosy in my living room with the tree and the twinkling lights, I dont want them down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...