Most people take down Christmas lights around the first week of January, traditionally on Twelfth Night (January 5th) or Epiphany (January 6th), marking the end of the 12 Days of Christmas, though some leave them up until Candlemas (February 2nd) or even later, while others prefer right after New Year's or Boxing Day. Ultimately, it's a personal choice, but tradition suggests the first week of January, with lingering decorations seen as good luck or simply a way to brighten winter.
Date. In many Western ecclesiastical traditions such as the Lutheran and Anglican denominations of Christianity, Christmas Day is considered the "First Day of Christmas" and the Twelve Days are 25 December – 5 January, inclusive, making Twelfth Night on 5 January, which is Epiphany Eve.
The theory that it's bad luck to leave decorations up beyond Twelfth Night (around 6 January) is a modern take on the tradition, but doing so used to be normal practice in the medieval period.
Is it bad luck to take Christmas decorations down before 6th January?
According to another superstition, Christmas decorations not taken down by Twelfth Night should be left up until Candlemas Day (that's in another four weeks on 2nd February!) while others believe you must leave them up until Twelfth Night the following year.
Yes, for many Christians, the traditional Christmas season, known as Christmastide or the Twelve Days of Christmas, concludes on January 6th with the Feast of the Epiphany, marking the arrival of the Three Wise Men, though some traditions extend it further or end it on Twelfth Night (Jan 5th). January 6th is a significant day in many cultures, often celebrated as Three Kings' Day or Little Christmas, when presents are opened in some places.
Christmas decorations traditionally come down on the 5th or 6th of January, marking the end of the festive season, with the 5th (Twelfth Night) or 6th (Epiphany) being the popular deadline, depending on whether you count the 12 days from Christmas Day or Boxing Day, though some medieval traditions suggested keeping them up until Candlemas on February 2nd.
The traditional last day for Christmas lights is Twelfth Night, January 5th, or Epiphany, January 6th, marking the end of the twelve days of Christmas, but many people wait until later, often until the weekend after New Year's, or even until Candlemas on February 2nd, following medieval tradition. Ultimately, it's a matter of personal preference, though some consider it bad luck to leave them up much longer.
Is there a traditional date for taking down one's Christmas lights?
In the Western Christian world, the two traditional days when Christmas lights are removed are Twelfth Night and Candlemas, the latter of which ends the Christmas-Epiphany season in some denominations.
You should take down a nativity scene after the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6th, or the Sunday after) to mark the end of the official Christmas liturgical season, but many traditions extend it to Candlemas (February 2nd) for the Presentation of Jesus, with no strict rule, though early removal after New Year's is also common for practical reasons.
On the eve of January 5, children often leave grass out for the Kings' horses, and in return the Kings leave gifts. And then the celebration really begins—music, food, and community festivities.
Origins. Owing to differences in liturgical calendars, as early as the fourth century, the churches of the eastern Roman Empire were celebrating Christmas on 6 January, while those of the western Roman Empire were celebrating it on 25 December.
How long should you leave Christmas lights up after Christmas?
While not everyone in the United States observes Three Kings Day, it is a celebratory holiday that signifies the end of Christmas festivities in countries all over the world. For this reason, many believe that January 6 is the final day to keep Christmas lights up until the holiday season is truly over.
What time do most people turn off Christmas lights?
Key Takeaways. Christmas lights should be turned off past 10 p.m. in most neighborhoods. If the homes on your street are spread apart or your lights are subtle, they can stay on later. Experts recommend taking Christmas lights down by early January.
It might be tempting to let those little lights shine all year long. However, the National Fire Protection Association states that holiday lighting must come down within 90 days to prevent fire hazards.
Is it illegal to have Christmas lights on after 11pm?
There's no law that specifies when Christmas lights must be turned off. However, artificial light can be classed as a statutory nuisance if it "interferes with the use or enjoyment of a home" or is likely to "injure health".
Many followers of the Christian faith believe that the Twelfth Night (i.e. twelve days after Christmas) is when decorations should come down. Some believe keeping your decorations up after the Twelfth Night is bad luck.
The short answer: While you can technically leave Christmas lights on for 24 hours, it is definitely not recommended, and we will get into all of the reasons in this post.
Twelfth Night is a Christian festival that takes place twelve days from Christmas Day, on 5 January. Many people believe is bad luck to leave your Christmas decorations up at this point. The twelve nights mark the coming of the feast of Epiphany on 6 January.
Why are you supposed to leave your Christmas tree up until January 6th?
You're supposed to leave your Christmas tree up until January 6th because it marks the end of the 12 days of Christmas and celebrates the Feast of Epiphany (Three Kings' Day), honoring the arrival of the Magi to baby Jesus, making it the traditional, festive conclusion to the season, though some superstitions suggest leaving them longer brings bad luck or even goblins.
The Twelfth Night superstition explained. 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' remains a popular carol in Britain, and many people still hold with the superstition that festive decorations must be taken down by 6 January, the twelfth day after Christmas Day, or bad luck will befall the household.
Twelfth Night is traditionally the night of January 5th, marking the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas, which are counted as December 25th (Day 1) through January 5th (Day 12), leading into the Epiphany on January 6th. However, due to different counting traditions, some consider January 6th as Twelfth Night, making it the same as Epiphany, while others see January 5th as the final night to take down decorations before the Epiphany.
So, they continued to mark Christmas on the Julian calendar which, at that time, had it falling on January 5th but, because the Julian calendar is based on a different solar year, it keeps moving relative to the Gregorian calendar and eventually Old Christmas fell on January 6th.
