Twelfth Night 2022: When should you take your Christmas tree and decorations down?

CHRISTMAS is the most wonderful time of the year.
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But sadly all good things must come to an end and the festive season is over for another year.

Now that we are in 2022, you may be wondering when you need to take your decorations down.

Here’s what tradition says:

Christmas decorations at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. Picture: David cheskin/PA WireChristmas decorations at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. Picture: David cheskin/PA Wire
Christmas decorations at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. Picture: David cheskin/PA Wire

When should your decorations be taken down?

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Well the answer can be found in that popular festive song – the Twelve Days of Christmas.

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In Christianity the Epiphany, when the three wise men visited the baby Jesus, happened 12 days after Christmas.

So this takes place on January 6 and is seen as the end of the Christmas period.

According to tradition it is unlucky to leave your Christmas decorations up after the twelfth night – so this is why people generally take their decorations down in time for January 6.

So the Twelfth Night is tonight.

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But it has not always been this way in the Victorian era they used to keep their decorations up for well over a month after Christmas.

In fact they wouldn’t take it down until February 2 when Candlemas would be celebrated.

This holy day in the Christian faith celebrates when Jesus was presented at the temple – and was seen as the end of the festive period in the 19th century.

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So if you have not taken your decorations down yet, then tonight or tomorrow should be the time to do it.

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