If you celebrate Christmas and put decorations up you’ll be aware of the tradition that they need to come down on or before twelfth night. That’s the 6th of January and what happens if they don’t? Tradition has it they stay up the whole year till the following Christmas. Are you really asking me ‘who follows traditions?’ Yes, I follow that one religiously.
You guessed it, every year I have at least one decoration, some lights and maybe a cracker or two who get forgotten. I live in such a little house I have no idea how they hide from me but they do. Somehow they merge into my décor and become part of the daily furniture that I don’t see them as I remove all the tinsel and tree decorations, the huge woollen Father Christmas, the pom-pom penguins (they managed to stay out last year!) and the plastic deer.
This year it was hiding behind the door and stayed so flat and quiet (after the cards had been removed) that I hardly noticed. Needless to say there’s always one memory of Christmas that stays with me till the next year. This time it’s my angel shaped card holder that goes on the back of the door. I even nearly took it down this morning then chastised myself. It’s evaded me till now so it deserves to live in the house for the year. I have such a mismatch of ornaments and items in my house I doubt anyone will notice.
Are there traditions you stay true to?
lynnelives 
We have a Father Christmas who hung in the kitchen all last year and now the family insist I leave him there until next Christmas.
Here he is: http://www.blipfoto.com/entry/2613215
Is he still there then? I love it when a little bit of christmas becomes part of the daily furniture.
Oh, Lynne, it’s such a relief to hear that I’m not the only one who forgets Christmas ornaments! One year I forgot the Christmas curtains in the vestibule and didn’t change them until midsummer!
Christmas curtains? That sounds like serious decoration! They’d have had to stay in this house all year.. I love the idea of christmas curtains.
Ha !! I remember my gran leaving 2 paper baubles up in the dining room one year… By the end of the year they were bleached almost white by the African sun.
Not sure I’ve had any paper baubles. Love the image. Ooh, a nice bit of sun would go down well now.
I’m sorry, I’m one of those who take them all down as soon as new year hits. It feels all odd after that. To be honest, I’d never heard the tradition about what to do if you miss the 6th January. I’ve learnt something new!
Thanks Rebecca. It depends when I put them up as to when I want to take them down.
I didn’t know you were supposed to leave them up if you missed them. We’re usually pretty efficient about getting the indoor decorations down by January 6; the outdoor lights, however, depend on the weather and how frequently I nag my husband about it. Ours are still up as I write but a power outage must have reset the timer as they no longer come on at sunset. If we get a proper Chicago snow (which doesn’t seem likely this year) they could be up till April!