The Christmas Light Syndrome, when is it too late to put them up or take them down?

I agree with your schedule.  I get irritated when I see them any later than January 3rd.  (on or off).

In my neighborhood, we tend to leave them up and shining until January 6.  Usually, they are put up the day after Thanksgiving.  I haven't gotten around to it yet but several neighbors are up and running and it looks great when I am walking JJ.

We have the same schedule as you.  Happy Holidays

Mel...

About 40% on people in my area (Those that do lights) agree! lol

Susan...

Growing up in Pittsburgh, my dad was a fanatic about leaving the lights on through the Feast of the Kings, or Little Christmas in January 6th. When I carried that tradition to Georgia they thought that I was a lunatic!

I hung in there for a few years, and then finally realized it wasn't going to catch on. I'm glad to hear that the tradition lives in your area!

Mark...

That seems to be the trend, although as a child they went up later and stayed on longer!

Here in Nova Scotia we  have the same dilemma.....those who live in subdivisions tend to feel pressured not to deviate too much from their neighbors. But we never know when there might be a big snow and so we try to take advantage of favorable conditions for doing outdoor decorations at/around the first of December.

In the days of 'hot' Christmas lights most people would put up the tree a week before Christmas.....now that we have safer lighting, that time is about two weeks before. [esp if your tree is fresh]

Believe it or not, it's not unusual to have a green Christmas in Nova Scotia.

Joyeux Noel!

Richard, When you get a chance post the Excel spreadsheet with the averages. I'm beginning to wonder about people named Richard being too analytical.

Around here the Thanksgiving weekend gets the nod for lights going up. Second week in January for coming down. Of course, there is always the odd neighbor who leaves them up all year.

I think before Thanksgiving is bad. Get through one holiday before the first. I would say right before New Years or the day after is fine with me but anylonger and that's bad.

We typically spend Saturday after Thanksgiving putting up lights and stuff, then taking them down depends ... but never before New Years day.

Melva...

First, in my mind I can't reconcile Nova Scotia and subdivisions! lol And I guess I forget that a lot of it is determined by the weather in some areas. Here, it rained all weekend, so few lights went up!

Oh, I burned my fingers many times as a child toughing a hot light in the SNOW! Those things could fry an egg!

Thanks for sharing, that's what I love best about AR! The diversity of the community.

Rich...

The "Christmas Room" is more popular than you think! Many have a secret Christmas nook tucked away somewhere! But some are just lazy! lol

Another tradition here is you must eat black-eyed peas and collard greens on New Year's Day! Lucky for me, I love them!

My decorations usually go up the first weekend of December and come down the first weekend of January.  Some of my neighbors here in St. Augustine, Florida, started decorating Thanksgiving Day!  That is a bit early for me.  Besides, after eating a big Turkey dinner, I just want to relax and watch football.

We are on the same schedule here too! 

Heather...

I think you're in agreement with the large portion of the South, but in some area, they start later and leave them up longer ... I think that four total weeks is about right!

Gail...

It is hard to put them away, isn't it? Thanks for supplying a "vote" from your area!

Richard - I try to get them up within the week or 10 days following Thanksgiving and like to keep them up, or active, until Jan. 6, the traditional last day of Christmas. Since it was cold and rainy last weekend they will probably go up this weekend.

However, I do believe it is tacky to leave the lights up all year, and there are plenty southerners around here that appear to be more lazy than superstitious about leaving them up.

Outside decorations usually go up the day after Thanksgiving and come down before the New Year.

I don't think Thanksgiving is too soon but I do think they should be down by the day after NYE.  I'm w/Mel it irritates me to see them up later than that.  Take em down already! KM

When I was a young lass the tradition was the first week of advent to the epiphany on Jan 6.

In some neighborhoods there are holiday lights year round!

;)

When my kids were little we used to decorate . Now we're trying to keep the lector bill down.  LOL

Typically light around here start going up in mid November and turned on after Thanksgiving. 

In my house though, the lights, trees, etc, go up in Early October.  Its alot of work putting them up so I want to enjoy them for as long as possible.  I take them down New Years Day.  My wife goes to her mom's house with the kids and I strip all of the lights and decorations and get the house back in order. 

Marjorie...

Although this year the games were not what you would call "nail-biters!" Thanks for chiming in!

Kristin J...

Thanks for the "vote!" lol

Mike...

I am surprised at the number of responses that say until the 6th ... because when I try to push that tradition, I am the "lone ranger!" My dad was a stickler for 12th night!

Seems like they are up until Feb in CA!

Richard,

The easiest solution is to leave them up all year (not the yard lights but the ones on the eaves). Then you can turn them on whenever you want. :)

Steve

So you are a yankee in the south - me too. Didn't know that it was supposed to be bad luck to have lights up after Jan 1 but no one around here has them up at that time so you are probably right. Love the blog!!

I do very simple decorations for Christmas, and I have to do any this year. But, we normally put them up just after Thanksgiving and take them down just after Christmas. However, many people around me had their lights up before Thanksgiving and like you, will leave them up through New Years. I think it really boils down to personal preference and whether or not you can afford the light bill.

Michael S...

One of the first "votes" for coming down before New Years! Thanks!

Kristin M...

Some Eastern cultures celebrate Christmas on January 6th, officially the Feast of the Epiphany, or Little Christmas. Most kids love this because they usually get TWO Christmases! Cool, eh?

Renee...

Which is pretty much where we were when I was a child ... with some exceptions, but that's for my Christmas Eve post!

Richard:  Here in Northern VA, it's a good idea to consult the HOA covenants.  Leaving lights up too long after New Year's Day (like into Feb...and it happens) can have you landing some hefty fines.  But I think you are typical of folks up here.  Day after Thanksgiving to Day after New Year's Day.

With the kids gone and just the two of use we put up the decorations when we have a holiday event and when the events are over the decorations come down no specific schedule.

Richard, we always put our up the weekend after Thanksgiving and leave them up through the New Year. My tree won't be up until this weekend, but my lights are on the house.

New year's day is our dead line for Christmas lights. As for putting them up, just after Thanksgiving works for us.

Richard, what amazes me is the people that just leave them up ALL year long. I have seen this many times with the dangling lights in particular.

We don't have a regular schedule at my house. When my wife decides they go up and vice versa.

Richard...I am closee to your schedual.  We turn ours on a bit later.  this friday will be day 1, and then we leave them on until the 5th of Jan. (the twelve days of Christmas).  I have freinds that light up a day here and there all year as a sign of worship to our creator.  Not my style, but to each thier own!

Richard...I am closee to your schedual.  We turn ours on a bit later.  this friday will be day 1, and then we leave them on until the 5th of Jan. (the twelve days of Christmas).  I have freinds that light up a day here and there all year as a sign of worship to our creator.  Not my style, but to each thier own!

Betina...

Which I think makes them less special, but to each his own! ;)

Tami V...

Those LED lights draw VERY little power!

Chad...

Wow, you're the earliest one so far! Thanks.

Cristal...

Now THAT is laid back!

Steve H...

I wonder when they start building them in a new house as an upgrade?

Kathy...

It's bad luck to have them up ON January 1, so they have to come down BEFORE New Years!

JL...

With these new low power LED lights they can be on ALL THE TIME! Yikes.

Chris Ann...

Wow, that's an angle I never considered! Thanks for bringing it up!

Terry...

Well, that's an interesting way of doing it! ;)

Richard" Personally, I think the weekend after Thanksgiving they should go on and the weekend after New Years should come down.  Amazingly, sometimes going through different areas in town, some leave them up all year long (just not on) which tells me a little something about the household.  Their is some beautiful lighting done this year.  Makes one think Christmas is coming LOL

Anita...

We had rain all last weekend, so a bunch of the usual folks didn't get the lights up! Hopefully, things will be well on their way this weekend!

Scott...

You're with the majority! Thanks.

Gary W...

That is SO tacky it's beyond belief!

Hmmmm.... I think I'm in trouble.  Ours went up in October and won't come down until May. :)  It's too damn cold to put them up in December and colder still in January.  At least they DO come down at some point... unlike a lot of folks who just figure it too much darn work.

Great, I will check back often. I really like the blog. I am new at blogging but I am beginning to learn quite a bit from reading blogs like the ones I find on Active Rain. If I can ever be of help just let me know.  

                                                                 Thanks, Terry

                                                                  Of "Now What?"

Richard, don't ask me why, but ours stay up til the orthodox Christmas which is sometime in January!  Don't know how that cam about, but it's the way my parents did it!

And of course in some neighborhoods, they do stay up year round!

Richard, I have always pretty much done like you.  The weekend after Thanksgiving and a day or so after New Years. (according to how much recuperating time I need!)  I actually use to think it was bad luck to keep them up for New Years and took them down the day before!  NOW today is the 4th and I just stood the tree up and turned on the lights...still no decorations!  I have AR to blame for that........it is my new addiction!

Debbie

I always believed the decorations should stay up until Jan 6, the day of the Epiphany. Mine usually stay up longer partly out of laziness, and partly out of a reluctance to give up on my favorite holiday season. This year I had the lights on until Jan. 9, as some of my neighbors still had theirs on as well. This year someone informed me that it is bad luck to keep the decorations up too long, so they are all coming down today! I don't want to take any chances!

I should have mentioned that I live in NJ, and am not from the south. Maybe because the winters are so dark and dreary here, we are more reluctant to give up the cheery lights and decorations.