How Long | Chickens in the Road

Dec
29

….do you keep your Christmas tree up?

I’m random. I can remember some years when the kids were little and Christmas wore me out so much that I dragged the tree out the door as soon as they went to bed Christmas night. Other years, I leave it up at least a few days after Christmas or even to New Year’s. I put my tree up randomly, too–sometimes soon after Thanksgiving, other years, not till a week before Christmas. (I shoot for no later than mid-December, which doesn’t happen every year but did this year.) When I put my tree up, and when I take it down, is probably connected to how busy I am, my level of organization in any given year, and the stress level of the holidays that year. This year, I plan to leave my tree up till New Year’s. I love my tree this year. It’s a particularly well-shaped tree, and I enjoyed having my children help me with the garlands and twig stars. I’m reluctant to take it down.

You?

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12-29
7:10
pm

I love that natural garland, and I’d have to leave twig stars hanging throughout my house all year long. Especially that giant one that Ross made!

texwisgirl

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12-29
7:11
pm

I will take it down when the kids go back to school next week. I remember as a kid one time it was almost EASTER before my mom took hers down!

BethieofVA

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12-29
7:12
pm

This year our tree went out the door the day after Christmas. Clean up is usually kind of a hassle because we always get a real tree (and I wouldn’t have it any other way). Last year I think we let it stay up until after new years. I say, whatever makes you happy!

rileighsmom1

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12-29
7:15
pm

I think trees should stay up until the 12th day of Christmas, 6 January. That’s the tradition in our house. Although if we are already back to work on 6 Jan, we might take it down the weekend before or the weekend after, just for convenience. Actually, who am I kidding – it never comes down early, it has to be the weekend after!

Victoria

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12-29
7:15
pm

We also vary on when our tree is put up and when it’s taken down. We have a lot of birthdays around the holidays and we try very hard to avoid the merry birthday syndrome so it’s never up earlier than Dec 9th and is always down by mid January. Unfortunately for my husband we’re never quite ready to let go of it when his birthday rolls around (today, actually lol) but he milks it for all it’s worth, I mean suffers through it somehow.

Enjay

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12-29
7:18
pm

Hi Suzanne,
I just LOVE your blog!! We leave our trees up until the Epiphany. Anytime after that depending on my energy level I take them down. We have three big trees and two little trees that I just put a bag over and keep them until next year all decorated. The biggest tree is 14 feet tall. That one takes a while to dismantle. The other two are 7 ft. and 5 ft. We just love Christmas and all the family time and crafts!! Thanks for all the sharing about your family.

Patty

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12-29
7:19
pm

We always get a White Fir tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. It smells like oranges and sheds very few of the needles… It stays up until after New Years. I will probably take it down on Monday.

CATRAY44

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12-29
7:23
pm

We leave our tree up until after Epiphany. I’ll probably take it down on the 8th this year.

SarahGrace

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12-29
7:26
pm

Well I put up 3 trees (artificial)this year. I had them up before Thanksgiving, which I have “never” done before, but we had relatives that were coming from Georgia for Thanksgiving and I thought all of the kids would enjoy it. They did, and our 3 year old grandson has been excited ever since, he still thinks its Christmas. I started today taking Christmas decorations down, got 1 tree down and will work on the others this week and weekend. I do miss putting up a real tree, maybe I will next year. “Happy New Year To All”

Linda Segerson

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12-29
7:27
pm

My father would never let us get ours until the weekend closest to the 14th of December. He always took in down on New Years Day. The 14th rule has stuck but I think starting the New Year by taking down the tree is depressing! I usually wait until January 6th. Alot of the time the decorations are pretty much off it but I love the lights!

Nancy Stickler

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12-29
7:30
pm

I would love to be able to put my tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving and take it down right after New Year’s but that never seems to work out…always too busy! This year, I’m hoping to take it down this Sunday. I do remember the Christmas that my brother was in the Gulf War and couldn’t come home. My mom left her tree up all year into the next Christmas! He’s 40 years old now! and no, it hasn’t been up ever since

Debbie

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12-29
7:30
pm

I always put our tree up the Saturday after Thanksgiving (artificial tree). Then, I don’t take it down until after the first full week of January. I just hate taking the tree down. I get a lot of new ornaments given to me as Christmas gifts and I like to display them for a while….plus, I just love Christmas I always tell my hubby, “I’ll be sure to take it down before Valentine’s day, don’t worry”

Amy

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12-29
7:30
pm

Took it down last night. : )

Melanie

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12-29
7:32
pm

our tree (always a real one!) goes up the weekend after Thanksgiving and comes down the weekend of/after New Year’s. The tree we got this year is starting to look a little dry already, so it’s a good thing it’s almost New Year’s!

Rachel

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12-29
7:34
pm

I am pretty good about leaving my Christmas tree up. It brings so much joy and excitement. We continue to lite up our tree my children try to have me have it up until the middle of Jan. I guess this year will be about the same time.

Mother of a ROCKSTAR

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12-29
7:37
pm

I usually leave mine up until New Years Day. A couple of years ago I ended up in the hospital and didn’t get it taken down til the end of January.

Connie

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12-29
7:44
pm

I never put my tree up before Dec 1st. I thoroughly enjoy Thanksgiving & love decorating for it. I also never take my tree down before Jan 1st. If I’m tempted to take it down before then I hear my mom telling me NEVER to take it down before the 1st or I’ll have bad luck. (Like you, I have taken it down early when I’m so tired of the mess.)

This year, I’m waiting until everyone goes back to work next week. I’m enjoying being lazy this week & I’ll just work late next week cleaning up from all the fun.

Jen

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12-29
7:45
pm

I try to get mine around the 15th and leave up until after new year’s days. I like to get at least 2 1/2 weeks of joy out of it

Woodwife

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12-29
7:46
pm

Didn’t out up a tree until Xmas eve…decorated Xmas day. Bee remodeling since Oct….and should be done in February…so very little time for Xmas. :(

ivy

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12-29
7:49
pm

I would have love to have seen a full shot of your tree–unless I missed it.
I put up 6 trees this year-the everliving kind, I have them up so I can light them Thansgiving night. I love the Christmas season so much. I play Christmas music constantly. Will probably take them down the week after New Year.
Please put up a full picture of your tree before you take it down for all of us that may have missed it.
Thank you.

JOJO

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12-29
7:57
pm

I always leave mine up until the Epiphany! why not? it’s beautiful, it’s work. enjoy it.

thunja

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12-29
8:01
pm

As is the case with several others up there, I always leave it up at least through the sixth of January — the twelfth day of Christmas — or Epiphany. Sometimes, though, it stays up longer. One year in particular I can remember decorating it with hearts, then shamrocks, and then Easter decorations until we finally put it in the back yard and hung bird feeders from it. Nowadays, since we’re in the RV, space is a premium, and the tree will be put away on the eighth, more than likely.

Denise :)

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12-29
8:08
pm

I’m thinking Sunday, Jan. 2. Some years I’m loathe to take it down, but this year I want my space back, the access to my deck back, and less needles on the floor.

Michelle

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12-29
8:21
pm

Wow, after reading those responses, I feel guilty having taken mine down today! It’s so dry in my house that I was afraid it was becoming a fire hazard.

Kristen

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12-29
8:38
pm

I put mine up just after Thanksgiving and leave it up until New Years Day. I am lucky enough to have a four day weekend for Thanksgiving. I wait until the Saturday after (or Sunday this year) to purchase a frazier fir from a very friendly family that sells trees in St.Albans, WV. We put it in the stand that day and watered it, put lights on the next day, but didn’t actually get it decorated until the next weekend. I’ll leave it up until this Saturday, Jan1, because that’s the most convenient time for me to take it down. I hate to take it down, ’cause I love it and the house seems so plain after all the decorations are put away.

Yvonne

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12-29
8:38
pm

Tree goes up the weekend of Thanksgiving (usually on Saturday or Sunday evening). Comes down on the 26th. By Dec 26th I am craving some organization and really need my house to be back in order so I’m glad to see it go by then.

Marlena

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12-29
8:43
pm

Like Victoria, our tree stays up until the 6th, usually the weekend after the 6th. (My husband’s birthday)

SuzzyQ

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12-29
8:49
pm

We usually put ours up after we finish eating thanksgiving dinner and sometimes we take it down after the gifts are opened on christmas day and sometimes we leave it up till new years ,which is what we’re doing this year.

Sheila

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12-29
8:52
pm

I put my tree up the week before Thanksgiving and I got to enjoy it the whole Christmas season. But I took it down yesterday – its nice to have my living room back with that uncluttered look.

One year I didn’t get mine down until February – I always put up an artificial tree due to hubby’s allergies.

ticka1

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12-29
8:59
pm

My family tradition is to put up the tree the weekend before Christmas, but this year I didn’t get it decorated until Christmas Eve. I usually shoot for taking it down on New Years, but it varies depending on my energy, organization, and how dry the tree is. Now, don’t ask when I finish putting away all the ornaments!

Whaledancer

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12-29
8:59
pm

Most years I leave it up until New Year’s Eve, the lights sure brighten up the gloomy winter weather. My granny always said you never started the New Year with last years Christmas tree still up.

Sheila

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12-29
9:00
pm

Had a live tree, well any tree this year. Daughter was home (she’s 30 now) and said “Can we have a tree this year?” Well yes! No hadn’t been grinchy–we had chosen to travel for the past few years as our Christmas present. It went up around 6 December. Still up and I will take it down this weekend I suppose. She’s gone today.

Opening the ornaments was great fun as we hadn’t seen them in a few years. And, we bought a few more this year to add to the collection. Wonderful.

Pam

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12-29
9:08
pm

Decorate the tree Christmas Eve, leave it up all through the Christmas season (12 days) and then until the Feast of the Epiphany (‘Little Christmas’).

Gem

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12-29
9:13
pm

We don’t decorate until the middle of December, as it is actually still Advent for us. We put out the Nativity scenes, but don’t put the Baby Jesuses out until Christmas day. We leave our Christmas stuff, including tree, up for the entire Christmastide, until January 6th.

Molly D.

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12-29
9:14
pm

with a new cat in the house, the stress of trying to keep him out of it prompted me to take our tree down on the 26th, Boxing Day. LOVE seeing the wide open spaces, and clean surfaces after all the decorations were put away.

justdeborah2002

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12-29
9:15
pm

Epiphany here too! Gotta wait on the three wise men you know!

Margaret Rusnak

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12-29
9:36
pm

Up on Christmas Eve, down on Epiphany…. the 12 days of Christmas!

Kim Gibson

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12-29
9:37
pm

Traditionally take it down on New Year’s Day. This year I’m not sure which of us — me or the tree — will be more ready (it’s verrrrry dried out). Some years, though, when it’s still relatively fresh, I hate taking it down and tossing the poor, nekkid tree outside. Except I know if I don’t do it then, it’ll be Easter before I have time again to do it!

Karen Templeton

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12-29
9:40
pm

Just thought of a funny story, though — our fourth kid was due (we thought!) in mid December. He wasn’t exactly on board with that idea. Christmas came…and went…and I just kept getting bigger…and bigger…and my husband declared the tree would NOT come down until this kid came out.

On the night of Jan. 4th, 1987, he did…right in front of the Christmas tree.

Karen Templeton

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12-29
9:47
pm

Usually we wait until after the New Year. But if the tree dries out quickly then I want it out right after Christmas. This year’s tree will be taken down this weekend. This tree smelled so good, I will miss it! (We live in Evergreen, in the Rockies, and the nearest towns are Conifer and Pine. But we have no trees on this property that we rent. Isn’t that ironic. So the Christmas tree is a welcome visitor. )

Jessica

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12-29
10:08
pm

We have seen snips of your beautiful tree. Please post a full picture of the decorated tree before you take it down. We have not put up a tree for a few years, but when my husband and I move to WI we will have a tree or maybe two or three. We have many ornaments and I want to do an old fashion tree with the orange garland. They are so pretty with the lights shining through the sections. Do the oranges, berries etc put a wonderful fragrance in the house?

Usually we have a tree up for three weeks or so. We used to put it up mid December and take it down after the first of the year.

Peggy

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12-29
10:22
pm

We have a fake tree (allergys) so we leave it up until after New years. I was thinking???
What do you do with the great food garland?? Pu it on the trees after its off the tree??

Nona

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12-29
10:42
pm

My family also puts up the tree Christmas Eve and takes it down on the feast of the Epiphany, the 12th day of Christmas.

As Catholics, before December 24th, we are celebrating Advent so we don’t decorate except for an Advent calendar and an Advent wreath (which surrounds four candles, one to light each Sunday of Advent). Though sometimes I hang a simple wreath on my front door, too.

I love celebrating Christmas through 12 days, but it does feel out of step with most of modern society. Everyone around me seems to celebrate Christmas from about December 1 to December 25, then to be done with it—just when I am getting started!

This year I got a small live tree in a pot. We wrestled it into the house Christmas Eve but by the time we’d finished dinner, put up the creche, read the nativity story and hung our stockings we were tired, so we left it in its natural state overnight and put presents around it as it was. Looked very sweet, actually. But I did decorate it in the afternoon of Christmas day, with lots of wee decorations. And lights.

I do enjoy seeing lights up any and all times in the winter. It’s so dark at this time of year—we need all the light we can get.

Zabby

Zabby

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12-29
11:43
pm

It was tradition growing up to put the tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving. So I’ve kept the tradition when I got married and had kids. As for when putting away the tree and decorations, I honestly don’t remember growing up, but as for me, I usually wait until the kids are in school and take my time putting it away. However, this year, things have not been up to par for me, I just don’t feel up to waiting until the kids are in school, and my two oldest with their daddy are going to a church retreat so I told them they’d help me take them all down tomorrow. LOL…

Merlin

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12-29
11:48
pm

We have a son with a birthday on the 26th so the tree and all the decorations came down Christmas night because the next day was his day – no reason he should have to share it with a holiday not his own [his brother and sisters didn't have to, so why should he] Now that he is older and lives away from home we live it up a little longer, but it will be down before Monday, the 3rd. That is when everyone goes back to school/work.

skippymom

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12-29
11:51
pm

Since we’re military we sometimes put ours up before Thanksgiving, depending on who can be here and when. Usually, though, we try to put it up on the Friday after Thanksgiving. It remains up through New Years and comes down on Epiphany since we are Episcopalian. This year I am particularly pleased with our tree. The first decoration I placed on it was a brand new Navy ornament for my sailor son!

Cinderbama

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12-30
12:04
am

Now that we went fake I can relax and let it go. Used to be that I worried it burn the house down. Now I can wait till the end of advent.

Senta Sandberg

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12-30
2:00
am

Hate to admit it, but one year my tree stayed up well past Feb. I just loved seeing the lights twinkle. It was so soothing to look upon that I could not bear to take it down.

Sonia

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12-30
2:34
am

We take ours down when my husband gets sick of it, which is near the beginning of January. This year, I was ready to take it down the day after Christmas. It actually kind of bothers me that it’s still up. I have no idea why. Usually, I’m a week-or-two-after-New-Years kind of gal.

Ulrike

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12-30
5:45
am

Your tree is beautiful. We get our tree the weekend after Thanksgiving! Decorate the first day all kids can home over to help. I cry if I have to decorate alone..So she stays naked until we all agree on a day. This year it was very cold at the tree farm and I just picked any big one I could find. SHE IS HUGE and coming down monday after New Years!I am living in a forest..lol
Granny Trace

Granny Trace

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12-30
7:18
am

Before I moved this past july to the country, I left mine up in a formal dining room for a year and a half- when I took it down to move, I missed it being there-

This year I put it up the Sat after thanksgiving that Thurs and will take it down sometime in Jan.

jane

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12-30
7:33
am

Suzanne, if my tree were as pretty as yours I may leave it up til epiphany … But I will be packing away the ornaments this weekend and put the tree outside and make our “After Christmas Tree” for the birds to enjoy. We use the HUGE NC pine cones slathered with lard, peanutbutter and rolled in seeds and tied to the tree with some yarn. I put it right out in front of a window I can see out of and where the dogs cannot get to it!

Yankee in NC

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12-30
7:46
am

Always had a live tree until our new house. Our tree sits in the front window and the wood stove is quite close. Want to have the tree up Dec. 1st. until the New year. A fresh tree doens’t last long with wood heat. Have several fresh wreaths and spicy pinecones, so we enjoy the smell of a fresh tree. Married 49 years we treasure decorating our tree. Almost very ornament is handmade, by myself, family and friends. A tradition we started long ago. Every ornament recalls a memory of special times.

Bev in CA

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12-30
8:01
am

Here in the UK it is traditional to leave it up until the 6th January. Although obviously you can take it down at any time it is considered bad luck to still have the tree and decorations up after that date. I think most people take them down by then.

Carol Warham

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12-30
8:07
am

I put my tree up about a week before Christmas and leave it at least until the first week in January, occasionaly longer if I really like it and it’s holding up well. A friend of mine once kept hers up all through the spring. A real tree … or rather the remains of one. That was a little scary.

beverly

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12-30
8:20
am

I am ready to take my tree down now. But will wait for another day or two. New Years day or the day after is usally the time we take down the tree. I got back to work the week after so there is less time to get it done. It would be nice to keep it up longer. I love my tree its so pretty.

I knew a lady who would leave hers up and take off the Christmas decorations and then put up Valentines on hers I think she would even use it for Easter. lol.

Diane

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12-30
8:35
am

Did not put the tree up last year because the house is such a nightmare as we need to make major changes. This year the remodeling has begun, so no tree either. We have no one coming or going so its ok for another year.

Happy New Year everyone. BLESSINGS

holstein woman

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12-30
8:53
am

This year was the first with a tree in our Florida household. When we moved here 6 years ago it just seemed too much. Small house, no room. Then we found a small (3′) lighted tree. It will come down on New Years Day.

Phyllis

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12-30
9:01
am

We didn’t get ours up until the middle of December. I’ll probably take it down the middle of January. I’m not ready for the Christmas season to be over yet. I want to enjoy mt tree and decorations a little longer.

beverly

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12-30
9:20
am

Ours went up 12/5; dtr & son-in-law went into hospital w/pre-mature labor 12/6 (2 hrs away); 2 yr old gr-dtr has been with us; tree went down yesterday and twin boys are coming home today!

Teresa

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12-30
11:35
am

It’s a beautiful tree.

We don’t usually put one up. Too many cats…..

Ramona

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12-30
12:41
pm

Well…..unless it starts dropping needles, I’ve been known to leave my tree up til almost March!

Beth Brown

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12-30
1:01
pm

We always leave our’s up until Epiphany – January 6th. That seems to be the custom in most of the South.

Tina

Tina Manley

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12-30
3:19
pm

I just love how the house looks with the tree and all it’s warm lights, that I usually leave the tree up until almost February! Once I start getting the itch to put out some Valentine’s decorations, I finally give in and take the tree down. I find it depressing to take it down, and actually dread doing it

Kelly

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12-30
3:37
pm

Our family deadline is Valentines day. We like the lights at night.

Susan

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12-30
8:27
pm

up the weekend after thanksgiving and it was down by 9am on Christmas day… Christmas is over!

Jill from Spencer

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1-4
4:52
pm

I put mine up the day after Thanksgiving and take it down on January 1 or 2. I love having it up but as the month goes on and dust and stuff starts bothering me soooo down it comes.

Karen H

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