While we know Christmas trees should be taken down somewhere between Boxing Day and January 5, it’s rather unclear as to when Christmas trees should be put up. History may have the answer.
A quick look at the history of Christmas trees
The Christmas tree tradition as we now know started in Germany in the 16th century, when devout Christians would decorate trees in their homes. However, Christmas wasn’t quite the celebration then as it is now.
During the Victorian period, Christmas was celebrated in a way that is more similar to what we experience today and at that time, it was customary to put up the Christmas tree and decorate it much later in December, usually the afternoon of Christmas Eve – which was a tradition the ancient Romans also adhered to.
Christmas trees today
The traditional of decorating a Christmas tree is now widespread across the globe, but where you live and what you believe may dictate when you put the tree up. In America, for instance, many families put up a tree the first Friday after Thanksgiving at the end of November, while Christians may choose to put the tree up on the first day of Advent – the first Sunday of the four Sundays preceding Christmas Day, which often falls somewhere between November 27 and December 3.
And although Christmas decorations start going up in department stores and shopping centres from early November in Australia, setting up your tree on December first, the first Sunday in December or the second Saturday in December is now considered appropriate timing.
