It’s an argument almost as old as the holiday. When should we take down our Christmas tree?
Many of us in Mississippi agree the Christmas decorations come out and the tree goes up the day after Thanksgiving, but how long does it stay up?
The Christmas season ends on the holiday, which is always Dec. 25, so shouldn’t it come down then?
In many Mississippi homes, the answer is “Yes”: The tree comes down the day after Christmas and the decorations are tucked away for another year. The time to celebrate has passed and the new year is approaching.
Oh, but, wait a minute. What about New Year’s Eve? Kissing under the mistletoe and all the things that come the week after Christmas. Doesn’t the tree make a great backdrop for the new year coming in?
In that case, the tree comes down just after the new year arrives.
In some Christian faiths, the trees are taken down for Epiphany, which is Jan. 6 each year. Epiphany is also known as the Three Kings Day, which is when the three wise men visited the baby Jesus, bringing gifts for the son of God.
Some churches celebrate Epiphany with a burning of the greens — live Christmas trees are tossed onto a bonfire, leaving behind the old and welcoming the new.
Epiphany also marks the beginning of Carnival season, which is a time of celebration until Mardi Gras, which will be March 4 in 2025.
Epiphany, or the end of the Christmas season, is celebrated on the 12 day after Christmas or Jan. 6. The day is often celebrated with the burning of the greens, typically live Christmas trees.
But even Jan. 6 may be too soon for some celebrants. In some Christian traditions, trees are taken down after Candlemas, which is Feb. 2, because that is when the baby Jesus was presented to God the Father in Jerusalem 40 days after his birth. The day is celebrated with candle lighting to honor Jesus as the light of the world.
There are plenty of hangers-on, however. They can’t fathom taking down the tree. You’ve seen them. They’re the ones that keep the tree up year-round, changing out the decorations to fit the season — you know, the Mardi Gras tree, the Easter tree, the Fourth of July tree and so on.
All this to say, there is no wrong answer. Deciding when to take down the tree is entirely up to you.
Lici Beveridge is a reporter for the Hattiesburg American and Clarion Ledger. Contact her at lbeveridge@gannett.com. Follow her on X @licibev or Facebook at facebook.com/licibeveridge.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: When do Mississippians take down their Christmas trees?