And now, the taking it all down thread.

[Night Elf]

I'm thinking of taking my tree down today. I'm the one who had a difficult time getting my family to even want the tree, but they did all help put it up. My birthday is Jan.10th and I've never liked Christmas decorations up into January because of it. I don't like my birthday being associated with the holidays. I understand those of you who keep up the decorations for religious reasons, but am I the only one who is ready to take it all down and get back to normal?

[Southern Ivy]

We're having Christmas with my family on New Years Eve. I'll keep mine up until "3rd Christmas" is over, then I'll take it down. 
A coworker keeps hers up until the end of January. I think that would drive me nuts, but to each their own. 

[Bambam]

My oldest daughter put away most of the Christmas decorations yesterday. We'll probably leave the tree up till Jan 1st because the kids like it. But then it will be put away. If it were up to me, the tree would be put away today!

[bettyandbob]

My tree and all decorations came down and got put away Christmas afternoon/evening. It was a rough Christmas in our house, so I needed a visual change.

 

Most decorations do not have religious meaning beyond association anyway.

 

I generally put decorations away this week. I used to keep things out until Epiphany. However, I work too much now. I don't work this week, do it's just easier to get it put away when I'm not working.

Edited December 27, 2015 by Diana P.

[jjeepa]

I usually leave my tree up until Jan 1 and spend that day taking it down while the boys watch football. However, this year I doubt my tree will make it that long. We put it up before Thanksgiving and it's starting to droop. I do love the house decorated with lights, evergreens,and glittering things, but there comes a point when I'm "done." Haven't quite reached that point yet...

[Pawz4me]

We're taking ours down today.  Normally we would've done it yesterday but due to this (not) lovely weather and our grass still growing, DH had to do yard work.  And I didn't feel motivated to start taking it down by myself.

[marbel]

We try to leave our tree up till at least Jan 1 but preferably Jan 6.  It is not really a religious thing for us, but I do consider that the 12 days of Christmas start on Christmas Day.  So we put our tree up a little later and leave it up a little later.  

 

ETA: my post totally ignored the question.

 

I doubt you are the only one ready to get the house back to normal. I see trees out on the street in my neighborhood on Christmas Day. 

Edited December 27, 2015 by marbel

[Annie G]

Our decorations are being packed up as we speak. We kept them up until at least New Year's when the kids were little but we're all adults here and I'm just ready to get back to normal.  When I was a kid we kept ours up until Epiphany. Well, when I was little we didn't put it up until Christmas Eve so my tree has been up longer than it was when I was a kid, now that I think about it.  

 

 

[Word Nerd]

We'll keep ours up at least until the second weekend in January. I didn't even put it up until mid-December.

Edited December 27, 2015 by Word Nerd

[1GirlTwinBoys]

I took our tree down and all the decorations on the main floor the day after Christmas.  I'll probably take the downstairs tree and decorations down today or tomorrow.  The outside lights usually come down New Years Day.

 

We put everything up the day after Thanksgiving so I'm usually ready for a fresh start by the time Christmas Day is over.

 

 

Edited December 27, 2015 by 1GirlTwinBoys

[regentrude]

Back home, we always kept the tree until January 6 (tree traditionally goes up on Christmas eve). We had our tree up Mid-December and it will stay until at least Jan 6. We are having a New Year's Eve party, and the tree and decorations make the house look festive. DD leaves on the 3rd, and it's still Christmas until then ;-)

So no, I am in no hurry to get rid of tree and decorations.

[Laura Cook]

We are taking down our tree and the other decorations today. I usually like to leave them up until January 1st but I'm just not in the mood this year. We start school back up on the 4th and I don't want to spend the weekend before cleaning it all up. I want to start 2016 with a clean and mostly organized house. Beginning as I mean to go on and all that, lol!

[AnnE-girl]

Ours will stay up until next weekend. We cut our tree ourselves December 12, so it's still pretty fresh, and I'm not too tired of it yet. I like to leave decorations up until Epiphany or my birthday on January 5th, but baby boy's baptism is on the 10th and I want more time to get the house ready for the party without everything in the way.

[PinkTulip]

We are having the swim team Christmas party at our house Tuesday night, so everything will come down Wednesday morning. I love how clean and spare my house looks in January!

[Garga]

Husband's birthday is on Tues and mine is on Wed. The decorations come down today. I would have taken them down yesterday but ds13 gets sad when they come down so I wait an extra day.

 

I'm with you, OP, that I don't want Christmas stuff up on the birthdays. :)

[perky]

Took down the tree and all Christmas decorations yesterday.  All done, all gone.  I tend to put the tree up Thanksgiving weekend, so the day after Christmas, I'm DONE.  So lovely to have a blank spot there.

 

Plus our cats have been gradually decimating the lower branches, so it's nice that we don't have to deal with that for another year.

[Happy]

We took ours down yesterday (26th). It was warm and humid so taking everything down outside was easy. Then we tackled packing up the interior décor and getting it stowed in the attic. Finally the tree ornaments were packed and the tree stowed until next year.

 

I'll probably put some sort of lights out on the porches for a few weeks....last year it was a lantern with a string of white lights in it....stayed on the porch until August. I need light and cheer in January--but I was done with Christmas. Now to finish off the treats still lingering and clean the house...

[mom2scouts]

We usually leave our tree up until New Year's Day. By then, I'm ready for the house to be back to normal and I want it put away before we're back to our regular busy schedule. Nobody really wants to help with the UNdecorating.

[laughing lioness]

We live in the far north and winter is long and cold. We leave Christmas stuff up until the Jan 29 birthday. We all love the twinkle lights and greenery- makes the dark, cold days of winter seem more bearable. 

 

Edited December 27, 2015 by laughing lioness

[MomtoCandJ]

I will probably do it today because we are in for a winter storm Monday and Tuesday and I'm not about to try to put stuff in the shed with all that. Besides I need to do a whole house deep clean before the 11th, I start school that day and all my time will be taken up by school, kids and trying to maintain.

[Jenny in Florida]

I typically take down our tree on January 1. However, this year it may come down a bit earlier. My son is having friends over for New Year's Eve, and I plan to let him decide whether he'd like the tree to stay up or be gone by then.

[brehon]

Our tree & decorations went up in mid-December and won't be put up until after Epiphany. We like celebrating the Christmas season and, because of my work schedule, rarely celebrate Christmas on Christmas.

 

However, I'm a firm believer, OP, that you should do what feels right to you. And January 10th is a great day! ;)

[OnMyOwn]

I will put all my Christmas stuff away this week. I enjoy the tree, but I can't stand the clutter that the rest of the decorations bring.

[Carol in Cal.]

I love having the house decorated, and the tree goes up last, so it's still nice a fresh.  We will leave it until at least Epiphany.  Technically the Epiphany season lasts until Fat Tuesday, so any time after Epiphany and before Lent is fine, but my guess is that we will take it down the weekend after Jan. 6.

 

We did not do as much Advent decorating as usual this year because we were out of town for two weeks in December, so we have not had the long time to enjoy the other stuff that we usually do, either.

[Lady Florida.]

Ours always stays up until the weekend after New Year's Day. Some years that means it stays up for a week in January. Others like this year, mean it comes down right after New Year's. 

 

I do start taking down the little decorations here and there throughout the week between Christmas and New Year's. I gradually start putting my regular candles back where I had holiday scented ones, taking down little nik-naks, etc. The big stuff - outdoor lights and Christmas tree are what stay up.

[Chris in VA]

We will keep ours up for a good while yet, but I think it's an individual decision! I do like the relaxed feeling of extending the holiday season til the 6th of Jan. It's really fun to save parties and get-togethers until after Christmas Day--there's less pressure, and the "big day" is finished, so it's just fun time.

 

Ds and all left a few minutes ago. I am glad I still have the tree and decorations up, because I haven't had a moment to really sit in front of it with a cuppa and my hubby, and just reflect and enjoy the peace of the season.

 

But YMMV!!

 

(And hey, I'm a January birthday, too! :-) )

[Laura Corin]

Last year we took them down after Calvin went back to university (around January 10). We'll probably do the same this year.

[gardenmom5]

1dd's bd is also the 10th.  the tree was still up when we brought her home from the hospital on the 15th.  I've enjoyed having them up on new year's in the past.

 

I learned to buy bd presents before christmas (toy stores hadn't restocked.).  she also didn't want to share it with dudeling, as he's also a jan. bd.

 

I'm probably going to be putting sutff away earlier than I normally would.

Edited December 27, 2015 by gardenmom5

[DawnM]

After New Years for us, possibly the 1st.  We will see.

[happypamama]

I'd be putting it away around New Year's Eve, but my ILs aren't coming until NYDay, and my parents are coming the 3rd. We might start back to school with the tree still up. It's in our schoolroom because that's the biggest and prettiest room, so it'll add some festiveness to back to school.

[*Jessica*]

We usually leave ours up until after the New Year, but even though we had an absolutely fantastic Christmas this year I am ready for the house to get back to normal. I think I'll take it down tomorrow.

[Anne]

I didn't have a tree at all this year, but typically I take mine down on New Years Day, which I really like. Gives me a feeling of clearing the decks and getting ready for a new year on the first.

 

BUT, I think you should do whatever you want to do and whatever will bring you joy and peace!!!

 

;-)

 

Anne

[BlsdMama]

I'm thinking of taking my tree down today. I'm the one who had a difficult time getting my family to even want the tree, but they did all help put it up. My birthday is Jan.10th and I've never liked Christmas decorations up into January because of it. I don't like my birthday being associated with the holidays. I understand those of you who keep up the decorations for religious reasons, but am I the only one who is ready to take it all down and get back to normal.

 

 

All down, all put away, tree is outside waiting to be chopped into pieces.  My mom was always one to take down the tree Dec. 26th and it just feels weird to have it up after Christmas.  We still have two more Christmas celebrations with family, but not at our house. :)

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

 

 

 

Ours stays up until after New Years.

[Tess in the Burbs]

My kids put up the tree...I hope they take it down! Usually Jan 1st here. My birthday is Jan 2nd, so I may insist we did it before New Years.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I'd take it down now, but the kids wouldn't go for it.

 

So it'll sit there for awhile.

 

 

[catz]

Usually I am ITCHING to get my stuff down, but it went up late this year.  By next weekend for sure it will be down.  Christmas being on Friday kind of made me want to leave it up a couple days.  Especially since we weren't home on Friday itself.  Mine is usually down by the 1st for sure. 

[MrsWeasley]

I've seen a lot of people taking down their trees. However, my goal is to put the tree away on Jan. 5th, after the kids go to bed.

[LifeLovePassion]

Ours will probably go tomorrow or Tuesday.

[Cindy in FL.]

All taken down and put away yesterday. I felt so much better after!

[KungFuPanda]

I put my tree up pretty late so I can leave it up all 12 days without getting tired of it. It's not in the way and I enjoy the lights.

[Night Elf]

Okay, it's all put away! I took the tree down. Gathered boxes and bags that will get reused next year. Took down dd17's advent calendar that stayed on her wall all year long because we forgot to put it away last Christmas. I left out two knick knacks on the mantle that I never remember to put away. I can live with that.

[SemiSweet]

I normally take it down the day after Christmas, the clutter just drives me batty after awhile, and I dislike how trees look without presents underneath. This year though, we haven't actually done our Christmas yet because dh is away and will be back on the 2nd, so that's when we will celebrate and I'll take it down the following day.

[Another Lynn]

My dh and kids took everything down and put it away Christmas night!  :hurray: :hurray: :hurray:

[VeteranMom]

I would take all of mine down today, but we voted and everyone else wants to keep the decorations up until the day after New Years.  Ds has a New Year's Eve birthday and he likes the decorations up on his birthday.  All 3 of my kids have December birthdays and they like the decorations up on the birthdays.  I'm suspecting they will feel differently as they get older.

[Woodhaven]

I usually take it down by New Years Eve.  I want it all put away before we get back to school!!  We have enough distractions as it is!

[Jane Elliot]

Dh was getting my coffee (such a dear man) at 5:30 am yesterday, the morning after Christmas Day, when he saw our 15 foot tree just topple. There was a tremendous crash and broken glass bulbs everywhere. It seemed a good time to be done with it and get it out of the way. Normally we would have left it up longer.

[FO4UR]

I like to put the tree up the day after Thanksgiving and take it down Jan 1st.

 

I don't like trying to start back to school with a bunch of junk all over the house.  That week between Christmas and New Year's I'm always decluttering ALL.THE.THINGS!!!  That tree is the final nail in the coffin.  Done.  Back to School. Now we can wait impatiently for April showers and May flowers.

[FriedClams]

Noon. Christmas Day. Done!!!

 

My family makes me wait until noon, otherwise I might (and have) started earlier. While I love the season, and Advent, and decorating, after a couple of weeks I hate the clutter of it all. So, by noon, I'm itching to start.

 

I do leave the lawn inflatables out until New Year's, and when they're dry.

[Renai]

I would take all of mine down today, but we voted and everyone else wants to keep the decorations up until the day after New Years.  Ds has a New Year's Eve birthday and he likes the decorations up on his birthday.  All 3 of my kids have December birthdays and they like the decorations up on the birthdays.  I'm suspecting they will feel differently as they get older.

 

They may not feel differently as they get older. My bday is close to the middle of December and our tree goes up December 1 (or close to it, not in November though). It doesn't come down until January. It used to come down January 1, but it's so dark and dreary here, I started keeping it up longer. We started taking it down on Epiphany. Dh also likes the lights and would probably keep the lights and tree up until the end of January if he had his way. (I just asked him when we should take it down and he said, "in the new year.")