Deciding exactly when to put your Christmas tree up is a topic of hot debate, particularly as the festive season appears to start earlier and earlier every year.
Once Halloween and Bonfire night are done and dusted, December 25 quickly springs to mind and before you know it the shops are lined with mince pies and the Christmas tunes are being blasted around the clock.
For some, it’s a sign to dive right in and dig out the decorations early, while others prefer to delay the seasonal home makeover until a bit closer to the big day.
But when is an acceptable time to embrace the festive season and put your Christmas tree up at home? Well, according to tradition there is an exact date to do this each year.
Tradition says you should wait until the start of Advent to get the festivities rolling. Advent is the season when Christians prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and it starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas – known as Advent Sunday. It’s observed for around four weeks and comes to an end on Christmas Eve.
This year, the start of Advent falls on Sunday, December 1 and ends on Tuesday, December 24. So if you’re a stickler for tradition then December 1 is the earliest date you should put your Christmas tree up.
Of course there’s no rule that says you can’t put it up earlier if you wish, but one benefit of waiting until is that your tree will last longer if you buy a real one, meaning it should still look fresh and green by the time Christmas arrives.
The British Christmas Tree Growers Association says that trees can last for up to four weeks if they are well looked after, which is about the same length of time as Advent. As such, if you buy one in November there’s a risk the branches and pine needles will start to drop sooner, depending on how well you care for it.
There’s also another tradition which sees people decorate their Christmas trees 12 days before December 25, which will suit those who prefer to delay the festivities until closer to the big day. If you follow this tradition then you should put your tree up on Wednesday, December 13.
In the past, decorations and trees weren’t put up until Christmas Eve as it was thought to be unlucky to do so any earlier, while in Roman Catholic tradition, Christmas trees aren’t put up until the afternoon on December 24.
As for taking your tree down, the traditional date in Christianity is to do it 12 days after Christmas, or on the ‘Twelfth Night’, as this officially marks the end of the festive season.
This year the twelfth night falls on Sunday, January 5. It is generally considered to be unlucky if you leave your decorations up after this date.
