Most traditions say Christmas decorations come down on Twelfth Night (either 5 or 6 January), but many people now treat anything from just after Christmas through the first week of January as a perfectly normal window to undecorate.

Key dates at a glance

  • Traditional Christian dates:
    • Twelfth Night: either 5 January or 6 January, depending on how the “12 days of Christmas” are counted.
* Feast of Epiphany: 6 January in many Western churches; some Eastern Orthodox traditions mark Epiphany later in January.
  • Modern “common practice” dates:
    • Between 27 December and the first full week of January is now widely seen as a normal time to take decorations down.
* Many households simply choose the first weekend after New Year’s Day for convenience.

Different ways to decide

  • Follow tradition:
    • Keep everything up through the full 12 days of Christmas and take decorations down on 5 or 6 January to align with Twelfth Night or Epiphany.
  • Follow convenience:
    • Choose a practical time that fits your schedule, often:
      • Just after Christmas if you are ready for a reset.
      • New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day for a clean start to the year.
  * The first weekend after New Year’s, when you have time to pack things carefully.
  • Follow your mood (and the tree):
    • Some people keep lights and decor up longer in winter for coziness and mood, especially if the tree is artificial.
* If you have a real tree dropping a lot of needles, it is better to take it down earlier for safety and cleanliness.

Mini forum-style perspective

“Anywhere between New Year’s Day and the first week of January feels like a good time frame.”

In practice, there is no universal rule; it comes down to what feels right for your household, your traditions, and how long you want that festive atmosphere to last.

TL;DR: If you want a simple rule, take your Christmas decorations down on 5 or 6 January to match long‑standing tradition; if you prefer flexibility, anytime from just after Christmas through the first week of January is widely accepted.

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