What is the traditional timescale for Christmas decorations?

Now the ‘big day’ is done for another year and we are looking ahead to the new year, some people will be taking down their Christmas decorations right about now, even though it is not the traditional ‘twelfth night’. According to the Church of England, the twelfth night is the night before Epiphany when the three wise men visited Jesus.

I noticed that some people have had their Christmas lights up for weeks which made me wonder when is the correct time to put up and take down Christmas decorations. Here are some dates when I have noticed them springing up:

• First Sunday of Advent
• 1st December
• Straight after Halloween
• Straight after Thanksgiving (I know Thanksgiving isn’t a UK celebration, but I like the opportunity to link to the song We need a little Christmas)
• When school / work finishes
• Christmas Eve
• When Christmas lights are turned on
• When the Christmas market starts
• When you get round to it

I think there has been a gradual move away from a traditional start date for celebrating Christmas, maybe it’s the impact of Christmas advertising, the hype of turning on the Christmas lights, the appearance of Christmas markets, or maybe it is simply wanting to have something to brighten up the winter nights. Or perhaps, families are developing their own traditions. In our house, we don’t start celebrating Christmas before the evening of 1st December, so I have a chance to celebrate my birthday without it being over run by Christmas, and then it comes down to when we have time to get out and open the decoration boxes. 

Of course, the other side of the discussion is when is the correct time to take down Christmas decorations? We follow the tradition of taking them down by 5th January (12th night), but I’ve noticed there is an increasing variety of dates:

• Boxing Day
• New’s Year’s Day
• 12th night – 5th January
• Candlemas – 2nd February
• When the nights get lighter
• When you get round to it

I used to be against people having their decorations up outside the “traditional timeframe”, but now I have a longer commute I love the interest and cheer provided by lights during my dark and cold drives. So I’m hoping some people will leave their lights on well into January.

When do you put up and take down your decorations? Do you think there is still a traditional timescale for Christmas decorations?

About Kate Davis

Kate’s first environmental action was picking cans out of the bins at school for recycling, leading to a green Blue Peter badge, and developing in to a career as an environmental consultant. At home she spends her time trying to convince her two children to turn off lights and tap and her husband to consider eco features as they turn an old care home into their family home. Kate is originally from Yorkshire, but now lives in Oxfordshire. She blogs at darktea www.darktea.co.uk/blog and is on Twitter @katedavis.

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