So we put to rest another Christmas season, New Years Eve and New Years Day are all behind us. As a child I remember how transforming the presence of a Christmas tree was to the home. I remember that sad feeling when the tree came down along with other ornaments and lights. I had to wait nearly another year. At 8 years old, a year is forever.
My recollection tells me we normally took the tree down a day or two after New Years Day. When I got married we adopted my wife’s family tradition of keeping the tree up until Three Kings Day, aka Epiphany and sometimes “Little Christmas”. Oddly the older I get the later I prefer to keep the tree on display. On the other hand, my mom seems to have adopted the habit of wanting the tree down at the strike of 12 midnight December 26th. OK, maybe I’m exaggerating, plus I know she reads this blog religiously, so that was just a joke mom.
Anyway, this got me thinking about what all of you out there do with your Christmas tree. I will get to those results in a moment. First, I wanted to look back to see the origin of the concept of a Christmas tree. Who brought it into American culture. The following is an excerpt courtesy of the History channel website.
“The first record of a Christmas tree being displayed in an American home was in the 1830’s by German settlers. The trees had been a tradition in German homes since the 16th century. Outdoor, community Christmas trees are recorded in use in Pennsylvania by the mid-18th century. In 1846 German Prince Albert and his wife the English Queen Victoria of England publicly embraced the Christmas tree. Their popularity led to the tradition becoming established in England and the United States.”
“In the late 19th and early 20th century most Americans decorated their trees with homemade ornaments. Some of these early traditions have seen a revival in recent times. Today, garlands of popcorn dyed bright colors and interlaced with berries and nuts are popular. In the late 19th century Thomas Edison’s business partner Edward Hibbard developed and displayed the first tree lit by electric lights. The modern version of the Christmas tree was complete. Having a brightly lit Christmas tree in our home became an American tradition.”
Back to my impromptu survey on my Instagram @chrisciminoweather (please follow me if you are not already doing so, and tell your friends to follow as well). It seems the overwhelming highest response was for keeping the tree up through January 6th, Three Kings Day, Epiphany or Little Christmas. Some came down sooner of course. I think the clean freaks(not that there’s anything wrong with that) can’t handle the tree being up much beyond Christmas Day, let alone New Years.
So with that I ponder when I should take down the tree. It really adds a good feeling to our space, but I know in my heart I can’t keep it on display forever. I’m thinking maybe until pitchers and catchers report to spring training in late February. That’s a good compromise to help carry me right into the Spring season. Oh wait, I’m a Met fan, so it also becomes agita/Tums season. To everything….turn….turn….turn…….
Thanks for reading….Happy New Year! Don’t touch that tree yet.
Sunshine Always!!!
The tree should stay up until the Feast of Epiphany
I think you should leave it up as long as you want to. Spring training sounds right.
Well done, friend. As a child we left our tree up until January 6, the epiphany. Of course every Italian family I know always did that :-). As I get older I’ve started a slow process of not turning on the lights for a couple of nights and then finally taking the tree down around January 5 or six. It always makes me sad but then I rearrange my living room somehow so that I start to look forward to spring :-). I hope 2020 is a blessed year for you all!