Taking down the Christmas Tree

Traditionally we have observed the 12 days of Christmas somewhere between Christmas Eve on December 24th and Old Christmas Day on January 6th. We didn’t usually put up our Christmas tree until the 22nd or 23rd of December, depending on where it fell in the week and we didn’t take down our tree until Old Christmas Day, or after the children went back to school after the holidays. Of course, in those days we had real, live Christmas trees and despite the fact that they were standing in water, by the time the 12 days were up, the spruce had created its own tree skirt of needles.

With the arrival of artificial Christmas trees, the 12 days of Christmas have become longer and longer, expanding to almost double in length. Realizing that Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, we begin our decorating much earlier now. Depending on my work schedule, I usually have my tree up by mid-December.

I have noticed, however, that the earlier people put up their Christmas trees, the earlier they are likely to take them down. As soon as New Year’s celebrations are over, people begin to dismantle their decorations to return to a form of normalcy. As soon as my daughters leave after Christmas, I feel that Christmas is over – at least for me it is. Nadine left on New Year’s Eve this year. As I started to tidy up, I started to put away some of the decorations and realized, oh it’s not time yet!

Patches, the lady of the house, had the feeling much earlier than I, however. She began taking decorations and even a string of lights off the tree about a week ago when all her treats were gone and her new toys were integrated with her old ones.




Well, I’ve beaten my own record this year. Old Christmas Day has come and gone but my tree is still up. This may be the day that it comes down though. Since it’s the only day I have off, the chances are very good that it will.