Most people take their Christmas tree down between New Year’s Day and early January, with tradition pointing to Twelfth Night (January 5 or 6) as the classic cutoff.

Traditional answer: Twelfth Night

In Christian tradition, Christmas runs for 12 days from December 25, and decorations, including the tree, come down on Twelfth Night , the eve of Epiphany. Depending on how the 12 days are counted, that falls on January 5 or January 6, and old folklore even warns of “bad luck” if decorations stay up much beyond this date.

Practical answer: safety and schedules

For many households, the tree comes down sometime between December 27 and the first week of January, simply because that’s when people are home, back to work, or ready to reset. With real trees, drying needles and increased fire risk are a big reason to take it down by early January, or as soon as it starts to look dry and drop needles heavily.

Other common cut‑off dates

Several other dates have become “unofficial rules of thumb,” especially in forum and lifestyle discussions. Common choices include:

  • December 26 (for those who like a quick post‑Christmas reset)
  • New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day, to start the new year with a clean slate
  • The weekend after January 6, to finish out the 12 days of Christmas
  • Mid to late January, for people who enjoy the lights through the darkest winter weeks

Forum & “latest news” vibes

Recent forum threads and Q&As show a wide spread: some users strip the tree a day or two after Christmas, while others wait until after Epiphany or even after mid‑January, especially if they put decorations up late. Lifestyle sites and radio “latest news” pieces now often frame it as a matter of personal preference, noting that there’s no strict rule as long as safety (for real trees) is respected.

Bottom line

If you want to follow tradition, take your Christmas tree down on Twelfth Night (January 5 or 6). If you prefer a flexible, modern approach, any time from December 27 through the first or second week of January is widely accepted—earlier for a dry real tree, later if you’re enjoying the cozy lights.

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