When do you take down your Christmas decorations?

Some people get busy on Dec. 26th The gifts are opened, the family has gathered so why not get ready for the New Year? For others, the timing may be dictated by the next free weekend or if you have more out of town family or guests coming for a New Year's celebration.

I like to have the cheerful decor on display for as long as possible. After all, it's a lot of work decorating and putting them away. Somehow, the lack of decorations and lights seem to make the nights colder and longer and signal the doldrums of long winter that awaits.

A little research shows the majority of the country chooses to take Christmas decorations down between the 5th and 6th of January.

And for good reason. Those specific dates fall on a Friday/Saturday in 2024 but could hit midweek in other years.

January 5th & 6th mark the Christian observance of Three Kings Day, the traditional end of Christmas season celebrations.

Many Christians extend their Christmas festivities until Twelfth Night which occurs on January 5th.

Many Christians leave their tree up until Twelfth night, which marks the end of the 12 nights of Christmas, which begin on Christmas Day. Twelfth Night is also Epiphany Eve

Epiphany is a very important date on the Christian calendar commemorating the day he Magi visited the newborn Jesus

The custom may also be tied the Victorian era as a signal to the end the Christmas festivities and send people back to work.

Still too soon?

Wait until Candlemas in February to take down your decorations.

Some people observe the Catholic festival of Candlemas on Feb. 2nd which commemorates the purification of the Virgin Mary after childbirth and the presentation of Christ in the Temple, according to Jewish law.

Whenever you take down the holiday trimmings and Christmas decor, I hope you have been able to spend time with the ones you love.

One more thing struck me as I wrote this article. We have a 12 Days of Christmas carol but why not a 12 Nights of Christmas carol? 12 Days of Christmas is all about gifts received but I think we need a 12 Nights of Christmas Song about all of the blessings we have received?

May you have a blessed New Year!