My Christmas decorations are currently sat around the house in boxes. I have always been told it’s bad luck to leave them up beyond Twelfth Night so I have quickly pulled them all down. I told my 5 year old daughter this yesterday and she asked why it’s bad luck. I had to admit I didn’t know, it’s a superstition and probably isn’t true. To be honest I’m never even really sure whether Twelfth Night falls on January 5th or the 6th. And is it bad luck to take them down after that date or should they be taken down before? Apparently I’m not alone in this confusion. 

It seems like people are putting up Christmas decorations up earlier and earlier each year. It’s normal to see Christmas trees for sale, and decorated on Instagram, by 1st December. It doesn’t surprise me that so many of the same people want to take their tree down on Boxing Day. I think it's a shame to take them down so early.

I love the build up to Christmas, the twinkling lights everywhere and the sparkles. It helps balance out the cold, dark days. Growing up I learnt that Christmas properly started on Christmas Eve and lasted thorough the 12 days of Christmas, ending on Twelfth Night, although our decorations normally went up a week or so before Christmas. For the 11 days of Christmas which followed Christmas Day we didn’t have any special celebrations, but the decorations stayed up and I enjoyed the magical Christmas spirit. So to me packing all signs of Christmas away before January even starts is cutting short the magic.

When I had my first daughter I started putting up my decorations earlier than normal. After all the lights are a great sensory experience for babies! This year I broke with my normal tradition. With a baby who uses everything for balance and a kitten who likes to climb trees (and airers and legs) I knew decorations would be hard work even after googling for the best tips. I made a lovely big bauble wreath to go on my wall out of harms way and I claimed we weren’t going to have a tree. In the end we decided to buy a real tree on Christmas Eve, that way there was a chance that it would still have some pine needles attached and baubles hanging on it come Christmas Day.

A week later I decided I wanted the space back. All the new toys were making our living room overcrowded and reclaiming the corner of the room seemed like a good idea. My eldest daughter disagreed though so I left the tree up until Wednesday night when we dragged it outside ready for collection the next day. On Thursday (5th) we took down most of the other decorations from around the house and I have put the last in boxes today. Hopefully they will make it into the loft this weekend. 

We are normally pretty bored of the decorations by the time we take them down and we are always in more of a hurry than when we are putting them up surrounded by Christmas music and mulled wine. I have often just thrown the decorations in boxes before carrying them upstairs, but I come to regret it the following December when it’s time to get them out again. Bashed baubles, tangled tinsel and let’s not even talk about the state of the fairy lights. 

If I was organised I would wrap the bauble’s up nicely, wind the lights around card and carefully label each box. Then again if I was organised I would be frugal and head to the sales to buy Christmas cards and decorations for next year while they are heavily discounted. 

My house feels rather empty now. I miss the twinkling lights reflecting off hundreds of different shiny surfaces even if I don’t miss the constant retrieval of decorations from under the sofa after they have been chased there by an over excited cat. With two birthdays in January, Valentine’s Day and Easter I’m sure I can find a good excuse to put something up, just maybe no more trees for the foreseeable future.

* This is a collaborative post *