Traditions

[drusillas_rain]

So we hosted Xmas dinner for the inlaws this year (if you follow me on twitter you were spammed with all the details. I'm planning on putting up a big post with pics and recipes soonish here on lj). We don't usually decorate the house, but since we had guests we put up some lights and trees, etc. Jeff's been itching to get them down, since it's now January, but I haven't been able to do it yet since in my family we would always leave it up until Epiphany (Or 3 Wise Men Day as I used to call it when I was a kid). Which I just realized is today, so I suppose it's coming down by Saturday.

So, how long do you leave your trees and lights up until?

Comments

[furiosity.livejournal.com]

We keep ours up through Old New Year (Jan 13/14).

[drusillas-rain.livejournal.com]

Is this an orthodox holiday? Or something else? *is curious*
One of my grandmother's is part Ukranian and still celebrates some orthodox holidays.

[furiosity.livejournal.com]

It's not really an official holiday, but it's New Year's Eve/Day in the Julian calendar, hence "Old New Year".

As for Orthodox holidays, today is Christmas Eve, and tomorrow is Christmas Day! xD

[drusillas-rain.livejournal.com]

So I should remember to call my grandmother tomorrow!

Oh! Do you get two sets of presents then? I used to, but only because we celebrated St. Nicholas day, which is just before xmas (but only if I polished my shoes the night before).

[furiosity.livejournal.com]

For presents, not anymore! When I was a kid, I'd get presents for St. Nicholas day if I put my polished shoes outside the door to my bedroom, for New Years, and for Old New Years. :D

[drusillas-rain.livejournal.com]

Man, I miss St. Nicholas day. I need to start celebrating it properly again - I think it's the only way I'll ever get around to polishing my shoes >.

[drusillas-rain.livejournal.com]

oh, I meant to ask - is it a hungarian tradition to hang chocolates on the tree? I'm trying to figure out where this came from (it could be german, austrian, hungarian or something else, not sure).

[furiosity.livejournal.com]

Yes, chocolates in bright foil wrappers in different colours, usually chocolate-covered marzipan and fruit jellies of various kinds. :D I think this may be a tradition from Austria/Hungary rather than Austria separately.

[coffeejunkii.livejournal.com]

since you only put up the tree on dec.23rd in germany, my family always let it stay up at least until epiphany or until the end of winter break, whichever was longer. i still have my christmas decorations up, too :)

[drusillas-rain.livejournal.com]

We used to put it up on the 23rd as well :)

I'm bad about taking down decorations - we have halloween pumpkin lights that in previous years have stayed on until past Christmas ^_^

[drusillas-rain.livejournal.com]

oh, I meant to ask - is it a german tradition to hang chocolates on the tree? I'm trying to figure out where this came from (it could be german, austrian, hungarian or something else, not sure).

[snottygrrl.livejournal.com]

yays! someone else who leaves stuff up until epiphany! even my super religious neighbour had her tree packed up before the 31st. i want to go around shouting, you realisse it's only the [nineth/eleventh/whatever] day of christmas, people!

i don't have many decorations up (and no tree), but have found myself nearly physically unable to take them down before epiphany. but i shall do it today or tomorrow.

[drusillas-rain.livejournal.com]

you realisse it's only the [nineth/eleventh/whatever] day of christmas, people!
Yes exactly!

^_^

[anathema91.livejournal.com]

We always used to leave it up until after Epiphany. My mom wanted to get rid of everything on New Year's day, but my dad wanted to keep it up, and he usually won the fight cuz us kids would chirp in on his side.

This year, I had that puppy down on the 29th or 30th, but only cuz I got sick of chasing Rukia away from it.

[dbassassin.livejournal.com]

My tree usually goes up around the 15th (if I put one up, that is) and comes down on January 1st. This year I was a little late getting it decorated, so left it up until the 3rd. I always have a real tree, so unless I never turn the lights on it's not really an option to have it for more than a couple of weeks.