When do you pack up your Christmas decorations? (floor, porch, basement)

[Ohiogirl81]

I took the outside stuff down today, seeing as its 55 degrees today and the forecast for the west of the week is for temps in the 20s. Brrrr. Fed the birds and bought a new snow shovel.

The tree will come down on Wednesday/Thursday in anticipation of trash day on Friday. The rest ... when I get around to it! Although once the tree is gone, the rest of the decorations look pathetic.

[gentlearts]

I packed them up today, Jan 4. I had company on the second, and I had a lot to do to recover from the Christmas just to get ready for a new flock of company, so I really hadn't had a chance to enjoy the tree until the past few days. Our guests thought the tree was artificial, it was perfect and fresh (thank you Home Depot). It still smells good even though it is outside the patio door, which is still open, since it was about 78 degrees today. This year the tree lasted very well and still seemed fresh and smelled good as I was taking it down.
Anyway, onward to spring. Here in GA it is time to start seeds for the vegetable garden soon.

[randomparent]

Everything is safely put away, and I am enjoying the simplicity after a pleasantly chaotic December.

[nuts2uiam]

Outdoors, two wreaths with lights and a nativity scene were taken down this morning and now are on the basement floor. I ordinarily take my tree down today but I have company till Friday and as soon as they leave the dismantle will begin. My real tree is 9 feet tall and over 4 feet wide so it will take hours to get it stripped an out the door. Then I will start wrapping each ornament that does not have a box and then into tubs and up on the shelves. The wreaths will lay on top of the tubs. Oh how I hate to say goodbye to the tree. It has been up since the 13th of December and is not showing any sign of dryness.

[KathrynAragon]

I love the stark, quiet simplicity of January after the revelry of the holidays.

[countrylv22]

Originally Posted by nuts2uiam

Kathryn, I am normally in lock step with you, but not this time. December 25 is in fact, the start of the Christmas season. The twelve days of Christmas start on Dec 25th. That said, the department stores have pushed back the start of all holidays to achieve optimal merchandising of seasonal merchandise. This also holds true of clothing, have you tried to purchase a bathing suit after July 4th lately?

I agree that your own family traditions are what drives your decorating but that is different from the actual Christmas Season. It may sound picky but I just wanted to stress that the season itself is not tradition, rather what we do with it.

The above said, I was amazed at the number of folks that thought the Christmas season ends on Christmas day. It was in a locals paper.

I agree with everything you said! I usually agree with everything Kathryn posts as well, but...

I LOVE Christmas & the Christmas SEASON. It saddens me to see people take it all down on the 26th or before Epiphany Well, I guess that happens when you start celebrating Christmas in July

I wonder if people realize that the Eastern Orthodox, as well as Eastern Catholics have their BIGGEST celebration on Jan. 6th (if I am not mistaken) MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Happy New Year everyone!

[Ohiogirl81]

The tree came down today. The cats have been wandering around the living room trying to figure out where their nap spot went.

My tree wasn't merely dry - it was crunchy!

[veuvegirl]

Ours this year was Christmas Day! I am a Scrooge.

[Retire in MB]

"tear down" party was fun. It took 6 of us about 3 hours to get everything packed away, laughing and talking the whole time.

[randomparent]

I did it by myself. I'd have liked a party.