New Year's Christmas decorations usually make me a little sad. So this year I have decided to make a new tradition. Throughout the week between Christmas and New Year's, we are taking down some of the decorations we have throughout our home, and ceremoniously storing them away.
On New Year's Eve we will slowly take down our tree, counting down as we go! This would be great for children to participate in. We obviously don't go out and party on New Year's Eve. We usually stay at home with some food trays, and watch the festivities on TV. This way, we are "prepared" for the New Year to come! :D
By Donna from Sterling, PA
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Such a wonderful idea to share! I've always taken my decorations down on the first of January, except for the red Christmas lights which stay up until the day after Epiphany, but starting to take the others decorations down the day after Christmas would definitely make it a much lovelier and less sad chore ;-) Thanks for sharing a good idea :-)
This is different from my family's traditions. We don't view Christmas as over until Epiphany, the whole Twelve Days of Christmas! The decorations go up on Christmas Eve (when I was a child, this was the day we all went out to the bush to locate and cut down the Christmas tree in the morning, and set it up and decorate it in the evening), and remain there until the magi have reached the stable on January 6!
Same here... Christmas is not over until the 12th day is over! The tree does not go up till Christmas Eve, and stays for the 12 days of Christmas. Epiphany marks the end of Christmas and the decorations come down.
This is definitely a more family-friendly way to spend New Year's Eve. :D
Like LyndaSings, my family's Christmas decorations didn't even begin to come down until Twelfth Night.
In history, the traditional 12 days of Christmas started Christmas day and continued until January 6th, giving the families an extended time of fellowship, warmth focus on the celebration or the holiday over time. Sometimes, little homemade gifts were given each day, like hand-carved boats or horses, dolls with outfits to match the child, and books, puzzles, and a stuffed animal. one year Gammee gave me a stuffed dog and Nana gave me an AM radio. And my brother and I made gifts for all our family members. If you do this, you will not have the New Year's let down. Your heart will be cheered!
The 12th day of Christmas is Jan 5th.
It's either the 5th or the 6th, depending on the culture celebrating. Some consider Christmas Day the First Day of Christmas, others start counting with the day AFTER Christmas Day as the First Day of Christmas.
I got to thinking about why and how we celebrate Christmas and decided we do it wrong. I mean we don't celebrate the birth of a baby before it is born so I think Christmas should be celebrated from the week before Christmas till the end of January. So all my decorations will stay up until the end of January. On celebrating the New Year I will look at my Christmas tree and Pray that I can keep the sprite of Christmas all year, I will put my Christmas decorations up the first of December this also gives me time to decorate and celebrate and enjoy Thanksgiving.
Our tradition was to take the tree down on NYE day and make sure the house was clean. Working and cleaning on NYD was forbidden based on some Old World superstition of my grandmother.
On NYD the old tree would be set in the yard and the kids would spend the morning watching parades and making goodies for the birds. (Cut out bread with cookies cutters and smear with peanut butter and birdseed, scoop out oranges and fill the half rinds with suet, etc.) After lunch we would be sent outside to decorate the tree with our bird treats and play while the men watched football. Again a tradition created to get us kids out of the adults' hair.
When we went to artificial trees (even a year or two with one of those hideous aluminum ones with the rotating light), my Dad planted a "Christmas" tree in the front yard to keep up busy LOL.
I begin putting away Christmas ceramic items and linens the day after Christmas;I change the Christmas tablescape from Christmas to winter tablescape with bleach and white colors, snowmen. The remaining Christmas decorations will be packed away in an organized manner, all ornaments will be collated by type of ornament and placed in plastic zip local bags;these are stored in a plastic 3 drawer unit in my holiday/seasonal closet, wreaths are stored on the inside of close door and on the walls of closet, other items are stored in bins on closet floor and in large gift bags hung on hangers on closet rod.
Taking down Christmas symbols and emblems quickly is so sad, discouraging and disappointing. The Twelve Days of Christmas is an ancient tradition for which the song was named after.
The Twelve Days of Christmas is a way to honor to celebrate the existence of the Lord Jesus, even though He was actually born in the Spring, near the time of Passover.
We may also choose to celebrate and honor each family member, your spouse or 'significant loved one', friends, neighbors, office- or schoolmates, cohorts.
That would have signified the time it took between the birth of Christ and the coming of the Magi, known in some cultures as the three kings. The tradition goes back to the beginnings of Christianity, not just the Middle Ages 500 A.D.-1,500 A.D. [The Fall of Rome to the Fall of Constantinople.]
I regretful that folks give no time to their fellowship, much less their labors putting up the decorations & lights, creating all the elaborate events, to fully enjoy them and others.
Just as celebrating an individual's birthday is an excuse I use to honor the presence of that person's existence with love, hugs, prayers, so I rejoice in my Precious Lord Jesus. I utilize the Twelve Days of Christmas to 'enter into God's Rest', restore my soul, empower my Snookie Bear to relax from both our labors, & mellow out.
I wish you all full mellowing out until January 6th, 2019. Then pick up your swords, pencils, shovels and begin your tasks for the coming year!! Lots of Best Wishes, Respect, Divine Health, Abundance and Prosperity, Topo Gigio.
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