Whether you put your Christmas tree up the day after Thanksgiving or on Christmas Eve, the sad truth is that eventually it will have to come down. Goodbye, bright lights, pretty ribbons, and DIY ornaments—until next year, that is! The question is, when exactly should you take down your Christmas tree? We know there's always debate surrounding when to decorate for Christmas, but the same goes for putting all of your décor away!
Some people want to enjoy their festive display as long as possible, while others start dismantling their setup the day after Christmas. While it's ultimately up to you to decide when to start storing your decorations, there are actually some rules about when to take down a Christmas tree, regardless of whether it's real or artificial. Here's the history behind when and why you should take down your Christmas tree by a certain date. Trust us, it's tradition!
When should you take down a Christmas tree?
Let's start at the beginning: Most historians think the Christmas tree has roots in Christianity and first became popular in Germany in the Middle Ages. "Paradise trees" were decorated with apples, communion wafers, or cookies and displayed in homes on December 24, the Christian feast day of Adam and Eve. By the 19th century, German-born Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, popularized the idea in England. Victorian trees were decorated with toys, candies, and popcorn strings. As Germans migrated, they brought their trees to other countries, and Christmas trees finally became popular in America by the 1870s.
That's how Christmas trees got their shining start, but when should they be put away? Well, according to tradition, a Christmas tree should be kept up until 12 nights after Christmas. (And yes, this is also where the Christmas carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas" gets its meaning.) In the Christian religion, the Christmas season ends on The Feast of 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. Some people even believe that waiting too long after the Twelfth Night to take the tree down could bring bad luck! Ultimately though, when to take down your Christmas tree is a personal choice.
When should you take down a Christmas tree to avoid a fire hazard?
Fresh trees can last a month or more if you know how to keep a Christmas tree alive. The trick? The absolute freshest tree is one you buy locally and cut down yourself, ideally at one of the best Christmas tree farms in your area. If it's a pre-cut tree, sap can seal off the bottom of the tree and prevent it from taking up water in the stand, so make a fresh cut straight across the trunk, removing about a 1/4-inch disk from the bottom.
Most importantly, make sure your tree stand holds a quart of water per inch of stem diameter; for most trees, you'll need a Christmas tree stand that holds at least a gallon. And don’t get lazy! Check the stand daily. Some stands still may have water but the trunk isn’t submerged, so get down and take a look to be on the safe side.
Once your tree starts to get crispy, extra dry, or drop tons of needles, it can become a fire hazard. The good news is that Christmas tree fires aren't as common as you might suspect. According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire departments respond to about 160 home fires that start with Christmas trees per year. In most cases, the fire was caused by faulty lighting or electrical issues or heat sources such as candles too close to the tree. That means it's important to inspect your lights and toss them whenever they're damaged or frayed and to keep your tree away from candles and heat sources such as the fireplace.
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Arricca Elin SanSone
Arricca Elin SanSone has written about health and lifestyle topics for Prevention, Country Living, Woman's Day, and more. She’s passionate about gardening, baking, reading, and spending time with the people and dogs she loves.
FAQs
There is another, perhaps lesser-known, tradition that in fact states that you should take your Christmas tree down on New Year's Eve (31st December) before midnight. For the superstitious types, it is thought you may have bad luck in the New Year if you keep your tree up longer than this period.
Why wait until January 6 to take down Christmas tree? ›
January 6 is known as the Epiphany, Little Christmas or Three Kings Day. From the perspective of religion tradition, it's the day that the Magi (the Three Kings or the Wise Men) brought gifts to the infant Jesus, so it makes sense for many to mark this as the last day for the Christmas season.
Is 12th night the 5th or 6th of January? ›
It begins on 25 December (Christmas) and runs through to 6 January (the Epiphany, sometimes also called Three Kings' Day). Christmas Day is considered the first day of Christmas, so the Epiphany is on 6 January, meaning that the Twelfth Night is the night before on 5 January each year.
What date should you take your Christmas tree down? ›
Traditionally, Christmas trees are taken down 12 days after Christmas – on January 5. But there is some dispute over the date as the Church of England says January 5 is the Twelfth Night while some people count the 12 days after Christmas beginning on Boxing Day meaning it would fall on January 6.
Is it bad luck to keep Christmas tree up after new year's? ›
Keep in mind: It's believed that keeping Christmas decorations up for too long after the Twelfth Night can bring bad luck. If you don't have big New Year's Eve plans, consider it a convenient time to pack away ornaments, wrap up string lights and dispose of your Christmas tree.
Is it bad luck to have a Christmas tree up in January? ›
According to the tradition of the 12 days of Christmas (explained above), January 6 is the earliest you should be taking down your Christmas tree. According to the legend, bad luck will befall those who stop the Christmas cheer any earlier.
What day do Christians take down Christmas decorations? ›
That's why, according to Christian tradition, the Christmas season ends on Jan. 6, and that's when you should take down your tree and other decorations. In fact, some believe it's bad luck to leave them up past that date. But there are other considerations to keep in mind.
When should Catholics take down Christmas decorations? ›
The Traditional Answer
Traditionally, Catholics do not take down their Christmas trees and holiday decorations until January 7, the day after Epiphany. The 12 days of Christmas begin on Christmas Day; the period before that is known as Advent, the time of preparation for Christmas.
Why do people wait to take down Christmas tree? ›
As Good Housekeeping points out, since the 4th century, many Christians have looked upon the Twelfth Night — also referred to as the Eve of the Epiphany — as the formal end of the Christmas season. Consequently, according to tradition, Twelfth Night is when those celebrating should take down their trees.
Why is it unlucky to leave Christmas decorations up after 12th night? ›
The tradition that it is bad luck to keep decorations up after Twelfth Night and the Epiphany is a modern invention, although it may derive from the medieval notion that decorations left up after Candlemas eve would become possessed by goblins!
The twelfth day lands on January 5th and this is the date the magi, or the three kings, were believed to arrive in Bethlehem. The Twelve Days of Christmas have been celebrated in Europe since before the Middle Ages. Each day celebrates a feast day for a saint.
What is January 5th called? ›
In many Western Churches, the eve of the feast is celebrated as Twelfth Night (Epiphany Eve) on January 5. The Monday after Epiphany is known as Plough Monday.
Can I leave my Christmas tree up until February? ›
If you're more like me, I'm here to give it to you straight—you don't have to take down the Christmas tree by January 6. In fact, there are plenty of good reasons not to take down your tree and to leave it up as long as February!
What is the significance of the 12th night after Christmas? ›
Also known as the Feast of Fools, Twelfth Night marked the end of the festive period and, in echoes of the ancient Roman mid-winter festival of Saturnalia, in which social order was reversed, it gave everyone the chance to dispense with normal conventions.
When to take the Christmas tree down in 2024 in the USA? ›
While some people may take it down on the day after Christmas, on New Year's Day, or the day after, there is some reasoning behind taking it down on January 6, on National Take Down the Christmas Tree Day.
Is it bad luck to put your tree up before the 1st of December? ›
It was previously deemed unlucky to put your tree up prior to this date, but other traditions claim erecting your tree more than 12 days before Christmas is unlucky, too. Meanwhile, Roman Catholic tradition states that the tree shouldn't put up until the afternoon of Christmas Eve.
Can I take Christmas decorations down early? ›
The feast of Christmas started at around 4pm on Christmas Eve afternoon and continued until the Epiphany on 6 January. But contrary to popular belief, the Christmas season actually continues right through to Candlemas on 2 February - so there's no real reason why you should take your decorations down earlier.
Is it unlucky to take Christmas decorations down before 5th January? ›
The Twelfth Night lands on either January 5 or January 6, depending on when you start counting the 12 Days of Christmas. Some believe that taking decorations down a day sooner or keeping them up a day later than this can bring bad luck.
What not to do on New Year's Day? ›
Don't Clean the House on New Year's Day - You will wash away any good luck coming your way.
