When to Take Down Your Christmas Tree

Every year the debate rages on about when to put up and take down your Christmas tree. It appears there are two camps of thought – those who really don’t care and take it down whenever they get around to it, and those who are more traditional and take it down the same time each year.

Whilst there are no hard and fast ‘rules’ about taking down your Christmas tree, there are some traditions which many people uphold, and other, more practical reasons for getting rid of your 3m Christmas tree which is taking up half the lounge room.

The History Behind Taking Down Your Christmas Tree 

According to Christian tradition, the ’12 days of Christmas’ starts on Christmas Day and ends on the 6^th of January with the arrival of the three kings. This day, the Epiphany, signals the end of Christmas, hence why many take down their tree on the eve of the Epiphany or on the 6^th of January.

Another widely accepted tradition, especially in Western cultures, is that the tree and other Christmas decorations should be taken down before the new year begins. The thinking behind this tradition is so one can start the new year afresh, without any baggage from the previous year.  

Other Reasons for Taking Down Your Christmas Tree

While we appreciate tradition may play a part when you take down the Christmas tree, there are some other more practical reasons for packing up or getting rid of your Christmas tree after the festive period has ended. Reasons may include:

• It’s taking up too much room in an already cluttered house
• It’s a hazard (think toddlers and kittens)
• You have a family member with a birthday close to Christmas (we have a child born a few days after Christmas so try to de-Christmas the house before his birthday to keep the two occasions separate and special)
• It’s just another job you want ticked off your ‘to-do’ list

Perhaps a more extreme timeline is the removal of all festive decorations, including the Christmas Tree, on Boxing Day. As a sister of a neat freak who adopts this method, I can see the merit in getting the house back to normal as soon as possible, but copious amounts of baked ham and trifle generally stops me from doing much more than shovelling more junk food into my mouth on Boxing Day!

If you are the proud owner of a real Christmas Tree, the removal of this sort of tree will largely depend on how long it has been in the house and how much you water it. When the branches become too droopy to hold the ornaments and needles litter your floor, it is time to farewell the Christmas Tree.

Who Takes Down the Christmas Tree?

Christmas time is an exciting time for most people, especially the children, so everyone is always keen to get the tree up. Kids want to haphazardly place baubles and trinkets all over the tree, while the adults deliberate how to string up the lights and whether to finally get rid of the tinsel that keeps dropping all over the floor. But I am sure there is a lot less enthusiasm when it comes time to taking off the baubles and packing away the tree.

Consider making this time just as special as putting up the tree. Have a celebration – put on some music, eat yummy food and get the whole family involved in taking the tree down and finally getting the house back to normal. 

Where to Dispose of your ‘Real’ Christmas Tree

If you purchase a real Christmas tree, when it comes time to packing up your tree, you will also be faced with the disposal of your Christmas Tree. Thankfully, in Australia there are a few ways in which one can dispose of their ‘real’ Christmas tree:

• Cut it up and place it in your garden waste bin or bag
• Take it to the garden waste section at your local waste management facility (tip)
• Turn your tree into mulch for the garden
• Use a thin layer of branches as a compost base

Ultimately, when you put up and take down your Christmas tree and associated decorations is a personal choice and one that should be made to suit you and your family.