Now that Christmas is over, households that spent time and care to decorate Christmas trees may be considering when they need to start packing up their ornaments.
So, when should Christmas trees come down? The answer varies depending on when the tree was purchased, if it is real and holiday traditions.
“Some homeowners worry that it can be considered bad luck to leave Christmas decorations up for too long, while others try to soak up as much of the merry season as possible,” according to Good Housekeeping.
Considerations for real trees
“Get rid of the tree after Christmas or when it is dry,” the National Fire Protection Association recommends. “Dried-out trees are a fire danger and should not be left in the home or garage, or placed outside against the home.”
Although the NFPA said that Christmas tree fires are rare, it added that “when they do occur, they are more likely to be serious.”
According to articles from Bob Vila and Martha Stewart’s websites, Christmas trees should last for around four to six weeks when watered correctly. So, if a household bought their tree around Thanksgiving, it is probably ready to be recycled just after Christmas.
“Displaying trees in water in a traditional reservoir type stand is the most effective way of maintaining their freshness and minimizing needle loss problems,” for the weeks a tree is up, said the National Christmas Tree Association.
It said that plain tap water is the best for trees and that adding other things to the water can make trees dry out faster.
“After the holidays, don’t throw your Real Christmas Tree in the trash,” said the association. Real Christmas Trees are biodegradable, which means they can be easily reused or recycled for mulch and other purposes.”
Twelfth Night traditions
If households can keep their trees from drying out through the end of the first week of the new year, they can partake in the Twelfth Night tradition.
This holiday tradition dates back to the Middle Ages, according to the Boston Public Library. Traces of it can be seen in William Shakespeare’s play “Twelfth Night” and “The Twelve Days of Christmas” carol.
“Contrary to popular belief, Christmas is not just December 25,” said the BPL. “That is only the first day of Christmas and it includes the eleven days that follow. The Twelve Days of Christmas begin on Christmas Day (December 25) and end on Epiphany (January 6).”
It explained that there is a popular belief that it is unlucky to leave Christmas decorations hanging after Twelfth Night, though some may leave them up until Candlemas on Feb. 2.
Of course, households can keep them up as long as they like, if they avoid fire hazards. For example, Dolly Parton told podcaster Cody Alan that she keeps hers up until her birthday, Jan. 19, and the Original Pancake House restaurant in Park Ridge, Ill., has been known to keep its fake tree up all year.
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