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When’s The Best Time to Take Down Holiday Decor?

Are you the type that takes down your tinsel the second all gifts are unwrapped? Plan to keep up your decorations until Jan. 6 or beyond? Consider it bad luck to take down seasons greetings too early or too late?

Since we’re experts in all things interior design and Christmas decorating, we asked Karen Sacksteder herself. “There is actually some history behind it,” Karen says. “But at the end of the day, it comes down to three things: Religion, safety and preference.”

You know the song “Twelve Days of Christmas,”? While most people think that the 12 days of Christmas are the days leading to Christmas, in Catholicism, the 12 days actually start on Dec. 25 and last through Jan. 6. That day is known as Epiphany or Three Kings Day, which is when the Three Wise Men came to visit Jesus. “For Catholics, the twelfth night is when they take their decorations and tree down,” Karen explains. “Some people even think that waiting too long after the twelfth night is bad luck.”

If you have a real tree, you should take it down four to five weeks after you initially put it up. “Most real trees can last four or five weeks if they’ve been properly cared for,” she says. “You’ll want to keep a close eye on the needles. When they turn yellow, brown or crunchy, it’s time to take your tree to the curb because you don’t want a safety hazard.”

Karen says there’s been a trend to decorate earlier and earlier, especially since the pandemic. “I think we all needed something to make us happy after staring at the same four walls for so darn long,” she laughs. If you’re an early decorator, Karen offers some tips: “If only having your tree up for just a month or so makes you sad, consider a potted tree so you can replant when you’re ready, or there’s always artificial Christmas trees, which of course we’re the biggest fans of. You can find so many out there that look like the real thing,” she says. “Another thing you can do is to put up lights, decorate your mantle, and get festive with everything but the tree a little early, and then wait until the first of December to bring in your real tree.”

If you don’t have a particular reason for taking down your tree at a certain time, Karen says then it just comes down to when you have time, or when you prefer to do it. “Some people like to do it New Year’s Day as a fresh start to the new year. I know for me, I love Christmas and it take so much time to put it all up, that I like to keep it up a little longer. Usually around mid-January,” she says. “But do what feels right for you.”

Karen says our new Tree Decorating Kits were popular this year, and make de-decorating easy. “The kits include everything but the tree, so all your ribbon, ornaments and accessories are color coordinated and come in one big box. It makes setting it up and taking it down is really simple,” she says. “We also offer a holiday decorating service – where we decorate your home or business – which includes taking everything down, too. So, if you love the look of holiday decor, but don’t want the fuss, give us a call next year.”

Our Montgomery store is located at 9797 Montgomery Rd Cincinnati, OH 45242, and our Indiana store is located at 4101 State Road 52 New Trenton, IN 47035. To learn more, check out our new catalog, call (513)791- 5022 or (812) 637-1422 or follow along on Facebook or Instagram.

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