When to remove the Christmas tree: folk signs

Christmas and the New Year are behind us, and Epiphany completes the cycle of winter holidays. So, soon it will be time to put away the Christmas tree, garlands, and other attributes that created a festive atmosphere at home. A live tree can be taken down as early as January 7-8, and an artificial tree – after January 14.

There are many folk signs and traditions associated with removing the Christmas tree. OBOZ.UA has collected all the signs and beliefs.

When to remove the Christmas tree according to the church calendar

According to the church calendar, it is recommended to remove the Christmas tree from January 6 to 14. You can hide the New Year's attributes before Epiphany because it is customary to do a general cleaning at home on the eve of Epiphany. By the way, the Orthodox Church believes that a Christmas tree is not a religious decoration but a secular attribute. The symbol of Christmas is not a Christmas tree, but a nativity scene.

When to remove the Christmas tree according to folk signs

Many cultures believe that the Christmas tree retains the energy of the last days of the year, so it is removed in the first days or weeks of the new year, in particular, between January 7-8.

According to the belief, you can take out the tree when the tips of the branches begin to turn brown, which means that the tree has already accumulated negative energy.

Superstitious people believe that you should also take out the tree if toys start falling from it, explaining that the housekeeper no longer likes the tree in the house.

They also pay attention to the trunk. One of the signs says that if the trunk is delaminated, it is evil spirits that have settled in the tree. If you don't throw the tree away in time, you can cause problems and troubles.

By the way, there is also a belief about the correct way to remove toys. They say that you should remove the balls, tinsel, and garlands first, and only then the star or the top. This will help attract financial prosperity to the house.

Our ancestors used to say that you should not take out the Christmas tree after sunset. It was believed that this way you could take happiness and financial luck out of the house.

When to remove the Christmas tree according to Feng Shui

Feng Shui practitioners suggest taking down the Christmas tree a week after the start of the new year according to the Chinese calendar. Of course, live trees installed before December 24 may not last long, but artificial decorations can remain in place for a long time.

General tips

You can take out a live Christmas tree when the needles begin to turn yellow or crumble. This usually happens within a few weeks – it all depends on the temperature and humidity level. For example, a tree will deteriorate faster in a warm apartment or near a radiator.

It is important to take care of an environmentally friendly way – do not throw the Christmas tree in the trash, but take it to a special collection point where the tree is safely disposed of, and needles are made into chips or mulch for plants.

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