Comments on: Ask the Audience: Undecking the Halls

By: Carol

Carol — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:16:08 +0000

We leave our tree up until Little Christmas, which is January 7th. So our tree and decorations will start coming down sometime after the 7th. They stay out such a short time, I am never in a rush to put everything away.

By: Kim

Kim — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 13:40:57 +0000

My decorations always stay up until January 6th. After that, they slowly start coming down. It usually takes me at least a week to get everthing down and packed away. I have 30 years of ornaments and decorations. It takes a while to pack them all away so they will be safe throughout the year.

I appreciate the idea of a clean start to the new year but I do like to have the Christmas season last as long as possible. I hope to have it all down and away by next Monday.

By: D

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:24:21 +0000

Tonight I am enjoying the 12th Night and tomorrow I’ll sit by the tree for breakfast and then take everything down and pack it away. Someone earlier posted they like the length of waiting until Epiphany and I agree. It all seems so hurried when it ends abruptly on the 25th. Original plans were for a bonfire but we are dry and under a burn ban. And all my friends are sick. So tonight it is only me. But who matters more than me to me?

I also like using lights around the house as the year goes on. I have a very tall old mason type jar in my bathroom that is stuffed with a strand of purple lights. This year I hung a strand behind both of my sheers at the ends of my windows and I’m very tempted to leave those up all year as well. They are making awesome nightlights.

By: LuAnn

LuAnn — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 00:44:58 +0000

We usually leave our decorations up until after the kids go back to school. That was we all get to enjoy the decorations and tree after Christmas when we’re finally home to see them. This year we had a chimney fire the week before Christmas and had to have the entire room cleaned professionally, including every tree ornmament! God Bless the gentlemen who patiently cleaned all 350 of them.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 04:16:36 +0000

I used to wait until Jan. !st. We usually have company over on the first. However, the older I get, the more impatient I am to get it down right after Christmas. I always want to get a fresh start on the new year. I also don’t like to keep the task of putting it away hanging over my head. It seems that if I wait too long to do it, it can actually be a little depressing to me. But, if I take it down while some holiday stuff is still up around town, it doesn’t bother me.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 03:33:43 +0000

We only had a small tree…and I had it put away by Friday afternoon. Of course we have a big bag of gifts that need to go to people that are farther away still..but thats the only evidence that it was a holiday around here. We aren’t all that into most holidays really, so its no biggie to take everything…you know the whole prelit 4′ tree…down.

By: Angie @ Many Little Blessings

Angie @ Many Little Blessings — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 02:30:34 +0000

We usually take down the tree right away — it really is in the way in our living room. But, we typically wait a while to take down the outside lights. Well…except for this year! We had unseasonably warm weather today, so Eric took them down today.

By: Milehimama

Milehimama — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 02:16:10 +0000

One year we ran short of funds, and couldn’t buy any gifts until AFTER Christmas. We celebrated the Epiphany that year and the kids STILL talk about it. Now we have to do something then! I keep my decorations up until then.

(Epiphany is at the end of the 12 days of Christmas, and is Jan. 6)

By: Mom of three

Mom of three — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 01:58:51 +0000

Checking back in. Tree is down, and in the attic. Ornaments are put away, but lights are in the Living Room. I am washing the tree skirt. It’s about 8 years old and if it doesn’t survive, I will buy a new one, but it had to be washed.

Hubby offered to take down the outside stuff, but I told him it could wait. I need to check the weather report to see when it needs to come down, but if he’s still working in the powder room tomorrow, I may start on getting it taken down and put away as well.

I never realized how messy Christmas can be. Seems I have been cleaning non-stop since Christmas afternoon. I don’t think I have ever taken out so much trash.
But the house is slowly turning back into my normal clean organized house, so I guess it’s worth the effort.

I did buy a plant today at Lowe’s to force spring around here. I could use the color.
Hubby still needs to make a few trips to the attic to put away some boxes, but by tomorrow the inside Christmas should be all put away. This is the earliest I have ever done it, and I thought I would feel like Scrooge, but instead I feel relaxed and content.

By: tink

tink — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 20:38:38 +0000

Keter said: “To combat the winter doldrums, I typically buy a few new plants after the holidays ”

Excellent idea!