Can I take the decorations down now?

I would do it. Ours are always down by 1 January anyway as my sons birthday is on the 3rd. Ours, this year, will probably come down tomorrow, still have family around today.

I love my decorations and lights and wouldn't take them down any earlier than I have to (6 January in my book, with a few left up till Candlemass and one or two for the whole year!). But this year our tree seems to be taking itself down - every time anyone tiptoe past it or the cat scratches herself there's another avalanche of pine needles.

Mine will be down by the weekend couldn’t manage any longer Bring it on I say

6 Jan for me. I love the twinkling lights throughout the house and the tree. It brightens the day which here, is very grey, cold and rainy.

Me too, Iam. The first thing I do when I get up is switch all the lights on to cheer up the gloom.

I logged in feeling quite contented with my lot after yesterday. The very first thing I see on GN is this rather grumpy OP.
It's sad that this disgruntled feeling seems to have been pervasive on GN lately.
I'm off to find a more cheerful thread while you dismantle any remaining element of joy.

I'd have them up all year round, if I had my own way! I too love the lights and sparkle. DD, on the other hand, has taken here down and put them away already. They celebrated Yule on the 21st.

What humbugs some posters are. I always leave mine up the full 12 days. They are twinkly and bright and cheery. There's enough doom and gloom in the world thank-you very much .

I don't think we ever thought it was traditional to take them down on 12th Night but rather that they shouldn't be up after that. That would mean you could take them down any time you like before then - whenever it suits you.

I see what you mean NannyTee but I am firmly in the “take them down on New Years Day” camp. They might be “twinkly and bright and cheery” but they are surplus to our requirements after that. Other people have other requirements. They may not last even that long this year, I can feel a good dust/clear up coming on. We have to have them until at least Thursday as DGS is back from the other side so that is when we are having Christmas Day.

Fair enough. New Years Day is fine too. It's boxing day though. Oh well each to there own .

Because Advent is such a big thing here in Germany, the Christmas decorations don't go up till Christmas eve. So I certainly won't be taking them down yet! In fact, as my DiL and DGS are coming on 8 Jan, we shall be leaving them up until they have seen them. If yours were up 2 weeks before Christmas, then go ahead and take them down. It's your house! But I can't imagine New Year's Eve without them.

My sister's birthday is 6 Jan and our mother always left the tree up until after her party for extra twinklies and sparklies.

mcem I object!!! I am not grumpy! I just am obsessively tidy!! That really has annoyed me. I'm not talking about not continuing to have Christmas fun and frolics and all the food and drink etc just taking down a few decs and replacing with some fresh flowers. AND I am not responsible for any grumpy threads or having a go at anyone"! REALLY. I am bloody cross now.

I will take mine down 5/6th January - I don't put up as many as I used to (I used to do too many - if it didn't move it was decorated!)

I don't bother putting anything up anymore but when I did things would gradually start vanishing after boxing day lol. The few cards are getting on my nerves now, in the way on the mantle piece, so they won't last long.

Teetime, I do like the sound of the tidy and fresh flowers. Go for it, will be purging and maybe you could channel the crossness into speed de-decorations!

We take ours down 5th January or there abouts they certainly brighten up these dark miserable days .

My DD puts hers up on the 1st of December. Our 18month old DGC still revels at it every morning like its the first time she's seen it haha .

Flippin' heck is all I can say.

What unwarranted nastiness from some people. I thought Teetime had started a fairly light hearted thread and certainly not a grumpy one!

Thank you kitty it was meant to be jokey - like have you put the sprouts on yet. Got my Goat!!!

Ooooooooops family arriving today so mine are going up as other people's coming down - like escalators. Today is the day for us! Didn't have the oomph until we knew they were on their (long) way. Happy times!

I thought it was perfectly reasonable too Teetime. After all you were not being judgemental (or only about your own decs) and you were not telling anyone else what to do.

I shall do whatever makes me feel comfortable at the time but I had little chance to put much up this year so it isn't annoying me yet.

'Twinkly bright and cheery' or 'obsessively tidy'???
Wonder which sums up a little seasonal cheer?? Wonder which option my GCs would prefer as they visit over the next week or so??
Given that this was the first this thing I saw on GN today I'm afraid my first reaction was not 'oh what a pleasant lighthearted thread'.
Each to their own!!

2nd or 3rd of January for me. By then they will have been up for two and a half weeks so I am happy to pack them away.