Traditionally, most people take Christmas decorations down on Twelfth Night , which falls on either 5 or 6 January depending on the Christian tradition being followed. There is no single “correct” date though, and New Year’s Day or even later in January are also widely used cut‑off points.

Traditional dates

  • Twelfth Night is commonly observed as the end of the Christmas season, and many households pack away decorations then.
  • Some churches count the 12 days of Christmas from Christmas Day (making Twelfth Night 5 January), while others count from 26 December (making it 6 January, also Epiphany).
  • In these traditions, leaving decorations up much beyond Twelfth Night is sometimes said to be bad luck, though this is more folklore than strict rule.

Other popular choices

  • Many people prefer to clear decorations on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day to start the year with a clean slate.
  • Some households take everything down in the last days of December, especially if they are ready to reset the house after guests and celebrations.
  • Designers and lifestyle writers note that it is also common to keep subtle, winter‑themed decor up through the first week of January, especially if it feels more seasonal than overtly Christmas.

Extended traditions

  • Historically in parts of Europe, decorations sometimes stayed up until Candlemas on 2 February, marking the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple and bringing light into the darker winter weeks.
  • This older practice survives in some places and is easiest to follow when you have artificial trees and greenery that will not dry out or drop needles.

Practical considerations

  • Real trees often need to come down earlier if they start dropping needles heavily or if local recycling or collection services set an early January pickup schedule.
  • If you prefer to follow social norms rather than tradition, surveys and forum discussions suggest that “first week of January” is the most typical window, with many people choosing 1, 5, or 6 January.

Simple rule of thumb

  • If you like tradition: take decorations down on 5 or 6 January.
  • If you like a fresh‑start feeling: aim for New Year’s Day.
  • If you like longer cheer: keep them up through early January (or even to Candlemas) as long as they are safe and you are happy with them.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.