It’s that time of the year when no one really knows what day it is and we’re all surviving off a diet consisting mostly of chocolate and cheese.
While the post-Christmas period is a time of bliss, mostly spent watching telly and eating leftovers, there is that looming chore of having to take the tree and all the festive decorations down ready for next year.
According to tradition, there is an exact date that you should take your Christmas tree down or risk having bad luck for the new year.
The traditional date in Christianity to do this is on the ‘Twelfth Night’ which falls 12 days after Christmas. This date is said to officially mark the end of the festive season and this year falls on Sunday, January 5.
The Twelfth Night commemorates the eve of the arrival of the Three Wise Men and the end of Christmas festivities, and it is widely believed that leaving decorations up after this date is unlucky.
So if you’re a stickler for tradition – and a bit superstitious – January 5 is the exact date you should pack away your decorations and take the tree down to avoid having bad luck in 2025.
But there’s no strict rule that your tree must come down on the Twelfth Night and there are other popular dates that people follow when it comes to deciding when to pack all the seasonal decor away.
Another popular date is Epiphany – also known as Three Kings’ Day, which falls on January 6. This day commemorates Jesus’ baptism and is seen by many as the true last day of Christmas, making it a fitting day to take the tree and decorations down.
Alternatively, some people may choose to wait until Candlemas to take their tree down. This Christmas festival, which is also known as the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ, commemorates the presentation of Jesus by Mary and Joseph at the Temple in Jerusalem.
It falls on February 2 – 40 days after Christmas – which means you could leave your decorations up for an extra month if you aren’t quite ready to say goodbye to the festive season just yet.
Candlemas is traditionally celebrated in some Christian communities across Europe and is regarded by some believers as the true end to the Christmas season.