Taking Down Christmas
My hubby was teasing me a bit this year when I was taking down the Christmas Decorations on the 28th. I received the eye roll with a half-smile and continued to “de Christmas” our home. I will tell you right now, yes, I am superstitious and hubby is not. But, he plays along with me anyway. For as long I can remember I have done it and my daughter does it too. Sometimes little idiosyncrasies like superstitions are passed onto our children. But I am not alone in this tradition/superstition there are a lot of people who have designated days or dates to take down Christmas and their various reasoning for the annual ritual.
Having hot cocoa and warm cookies is a great motivator for any helpers you may have too. ( plate from Target ornaments from walmart)
They say that dragging all your baggage and bad luck from last year into the New Year will be allowing the bad to move forward with you into the New Year. For me, I want to hold tight to the good things from the year before but pack away any negative events and sweep them out with the rubbish.
For many the December 31st is the day to take it all down. But, it must be done before the bells of the New Year are heard. This will allow for the riches you had in the previous year to carry on into the New Year. No mention of bad luck or negativity. But, I think it is similar to my reasoning (no matter how flawed) .
The 12th day of Christmas is on Jan. 6th and for some it is a traditional day to take down the tree and decorations. It is considered the end the Christmas celebrating and effectively offers closure on the holiday season.
It is difficult for me to surrender the Christmas spirit. Thank goodness it stays within us long after the decorations are out of sight.
When do you begin taking down Christmas?
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I look forward to seeing you all here tomorrow night at 7pm (MST) ( for the early birds) for the Thursday Favorite Things bog hop link party. I know you will have some wonderful holiday posts to share.
Janine Huldie says
January 3, 2017 at 07:13I usually take it down right after the 1st of the year. This year we took it down on New Year’s Day. The first year I had my oldest, I took it all down the day after Christmas, because she wasn’t sleeping at all and I was just so done in all honesty. But that is not like me, because I absolutely love Christmas and am usually sad to see it all go ever since I was a young girl. This is the first day that my girls returned to school and my husband went back to work for the New Year and I have to admit I am a bit down right now returning slowly to reality. Hugs and here is to a wonderful 2017 for all of us now!! xoxo <3
Missy says
January 3, 2017 at 07:37I took it all down last week since I knew I would not have time once school started back. I usually leave it up until after the first of the year, I just got an itch to redo my living room. 🙂
Barrie says
January 3, 2017 at 09:57I’m ready to take down Christmas decorations on the 26th, if we’re home. It’s due to nothing more than the holiday is over and I want my house back! lol. Hubby and the teen, though, want the decorations up till New Years so here I am many days later, taking down decorations…sigh…
Carol says
January 3, 2017 at 10:10We usually tackle this process on Jan 2nd. We decorate the outside of the house as much as we do the inside. We also live in a Home Owners’ Association that require the outside to be back to normal on the 3rd. So the 2nd usually works well for us. With the actually holiday being on the 2nd this year, we are doing it all in one day…today!
Pam Kaufman says
January 3, 2017 at 10:31I always take our decorations down between Christmas and New Years. I like to start the year without the clutter.
Alex J. Cavanaugh (@AlexJCavanaugh) says
January 3, 2017 at 10:46My parents do the Twelve Days of Christmas and take it down on January 6. My wife and I usually take it down January 1. I guess we carry that baggage over.
Happy 2017!
Karen M. Roth says
January 3, 2017 at 12:33I wish you the best of blessings in 2017. I personally love the Collage style on Canvas Factory.
Karen M. Roth says
January 3, 2017 at 12:35Oops, I forgot to mention that I leave my Christmas Decorations up through the middle of January, but this year they may be up longer as I am very ill.
Laura Nuss (@notatrophywife) says
January 3, 2017 at 14:07Hi Katherine! We usually take down New Year’s weekend. We also got the outdoors light which was too soon as Denver is expecting snow later this week. Lights and snow are so pretty
Naomi S. says
January 3, 2017 at 21:02I usually take my Christmas decorations down on the sixth of January as that is the “official” end of the Christmas season and in memory of my grandfather’s birthday on that date. Now, I don’t know if those two things are really related, but for me they seem to go together. My grandfather died when I was eighteen but he and my grandmother had been very important in my life and my memories of them are always fond. I often wish he had known me as an adult, what conversations we would have had and what he would have thought of the choices I’ve made in my life. Anyway, I like to mark his birthday in some way and I guess ending Christmas by taking down the decorations is just a handy way to remember it.
I am glad the new year is here. I am looking forward to the surprises and gifts it will bring. I want to be aware of opportunities that might come to me and not forget to live in the moment and cultivate fun and joy in my life. So, Happy New Year to all of us! May we enjoy good health, happiness and prosperity!
Meghan Meade says
January 6, 2017 at 17:47I’m embarrassed to say this.. BUT my tree is still up! I can’t bring myself to take it down, it makes me sooo sad! I love the holidays & there’s nothing like a lit Christmas tree in the living room in the evenings.