Bad luck to leave Christmas decorations up after New Years?

I have never heard of that. I usually take mine down soon after New Years because my needles start falling off of my tree, but I hate the way my house looks so boring without all of the decorations.

When I was a child, we left the Christmas decorations up through January 6. I never heard of luck having anything to do with the time of taking down Christmas decorations.

My family keeps the tree and decorations up until January 6th, Three Kings Day/Little Christmas. It's a lot of work setting everything up and I would not like to have to take everythihng down before New Year's because it just seems like it's not enough time to really enjoy the beauty of it all.

I've always heard that you have to take them down before "12th night", which means the 12th night after Christmas - January 6th.

I for one have heard of the saying of having the tree down before New Year. When my children were small I was one who did not want to take the tree down and throw it away so I left it up. Now I usually have my tree down before New Year's but mainly just to get it down since it will go for days without having the lights turned on. Our neighbor across the street decorates their house so pretty outside and it is till up and he turns the lights on each night, all night and it is still as pretty and as enjoyable to look at as the first night he finished and turned the lights all on. I'm sure if his work schedule allows he will be taking it all down this weekend. I have learned something from your post, I have never heard of leaving the things up until the 6th. I am glad to know this, it does sound better to me and sure does make more sense. I hope everyone had a great holiday.

If that were true my country would have bad luck since the tradition of the christmas tree was born. No one here takes it down before Jan 6th when the three wise men arrive to bring Jesus child gifts (and to "our" kids even if now it's the Befana who brings presents on that day). And I've never heard of such "tradition"...

I've never heard it was bad luck to leave christmas decorations up until after New Year. As others have said I thought they were meant to be left until twelfth night. I don't usually leave them that long, in fact usually I do take them down before New Years day but I'm being lazy this year. I'll probably take them down tomorrow though.

Huh! I've never heard that before. Usually I start taking down the decorations after New Years Day is over. As much as I love Christmas decorations, I like to get the house back to normal. New Years Day is the last day I turn on all the Christmas lights, and they're usually the first things I take down. I always have to laugh, the house looks so empty when the tree and all comes down and gets packed away.

Christmas is a doctrine and tradition of the Roman Catholic Church which follows the Catechism and not the Holy Bible. Christians do not celebrate Christmas and they do not believe in so many superstitions brought about by the traditions of Catholics. What is important is to follow God and God will take care of everything, no such bad luck.

I have never heard of that. We always leave our up until January 6th as that is the Twelfth day of Christmas it is tradition in many countries to leave them up until then.

Well, actually back home people tend to leave them until the 6th of January. It has to do with the 3 maggi that reached baby Jesus only on this day. SO back home people keep everything up until that date, and only start taking them down after, usually the weekend after. Myself I wouldn't like that saying too much either:)

It has always been a tradition in my family to take decorations down after New Year's. I think the bad luck thing is a way for people to encourage people not to leave them up too long. I love Christmas and decorations and everything, but by the end of January I get tired of seeing people with their lights still on every night. My opinion is if they are up all the time, or for a long time, that takes something away from Christmas. Christmas lights and decorations should be reserved for Christmas.

I've never heard of such a thing. And if such a belief exists, I'd still probably have the tree up waaaaay longer. My family usually takes it down mid-January. I enjoy the lights. I always spend some nights just staying under the tree. It's a comforting feeling being surrounded by those lights. All you think about are the good things. It's a place where you could reflect about the things you did this year and what you'd like to do in the future.