When Do Christmas Decorations Come Down?

Presents have been opened, Christmas dinner leftovers polished off and the once-full box of chocolates now contains empty wrappers. These are all the classic signs that the festive season is coming to a close. Now all that’s left to do is take down your Christmas decorations.

For anyone who believes in Yuletide magic, taking down your decorations at the right time isn’t a choice, it’s tradition. In this article, you’ll find everything you need to know about when to take down your Christmas decorations, as well as our top tips for Christmas decoration storage.

Photograph of Chirstmas decoration boxes in a living room

When should Christmas decorations come down?

Christian tradition states that Christmas decorations should stay up until the Twelfth Night. Traditionally, Christmas is celebrated for twelve days, starting on Christmas day. The evening of the final day of celebrations is called the ‘Twelfth Night’. This marks the night when Christmas decorations should come down.

According to this tradition, our 2023 Christmas decorations should come down on the 5th January 2024.

Although this is a Christian tradition from the 4th century, it has become a modern custom followed by many who celebrate the festive season, regardless of religious beliefs. Of course, when you decide to take your Christmas decorations down is your prerogative. However, keeping them up after this date is thought to bring bad luck.

How to store Christmas decorations

Taking down your Christmas decorations is never as fun as putting them up. Still, making sure you store them properly can save you lots of time, annoyance and even money in the future.

There’s nothing worse than taking your Christmas decorations out of storage at the beginning of December to find smashed baubles, tangled lights and a nutcracker gone walkabout. To avoid this frustration, we’ve compiled some simple tips for how to store and organise your Christmas decorations securely and sensibly.

How to store baubles

As the staple of Christmas tree decorations, most households have vast collections of baubles, which can make storing them all a bit overwhelming. It’s best to keep your baubles all together, so get a storage box for Christmas decorations dedicated just to your baubles and other tree decorations.

A useful trick is to group your baubles within the storage box using resealable freezer bags. This way, when you come to get them out next year, it’ll be easy to see where everything is. Using empty egg cartons is a great way to store smaller baubles, as it keeps your baubles together and stops them moving about.

Wondering how to store glass baubles? These are particularly fragile so you should wrap them individually using leftover tissue paper or kitchen roll. This gives your baubles a bit of extra padding and ensures they won’t knock against each other. Shatterproof baubles are likely to be more durable, but it’s still a good idea to pad out your storage box with a bit of tissue paper or kitchen roll.

How to store Christmas lights

Knowing how to store your Christmas lights without tangling them will save you time and untangling headaches when the festive season rolls back around.

A good trick for tangle-free Christmas lights is to wrap them around something solid. A piece of cardboard works great. Find some old cardboard boxes or leftover packaging from Christmas presents, cut it into rectangular strips and loop the lights around. This will ensure they stay untangled and are easy to unwind.

Like your baubles, pop all your lights in a dedicated Christmas decoration storage box so they’re in the one spot. If you’re feeling extra organised, categorise your Christmas lights depending on where you use them. For example, by separating outdoor Christmas lights from Christmas tree lights.

Homebase has a wide range of handy storage boxes in a variety of sizes, so you’re sure to find the right box for all your Christmas decoration storage needs.

How to store an artificial Christmas tree

When storing an artificial Christmas tree, you want a storage place where it won’t get wet. This is because water can damage the plastic and make it smell.

You can store your Christmas tree, and other Christmas decorations, in a shed or garage. However, if you do, make sure the tree is protected from moisture.

Wrap the tree thoroughly using clingfilm, dust sheets or any kind of plastic wrap that provides moisture protection.

If you have a loft or somewhere else inside the house for storage, this might be a better option. However, even if you’re storing your tree inside the house, it’s still a good idea to fold up the branches and wrap the tree up to protect it against dirt and dust.

You can also disassemble the tree completely and store it in a Christmas storage box or bag. This is the best route to go if you don’t have space for the tree to stand upright.

Image of an artificial Christmas Tree in a red storage bag

There’s everything you need to know about when Christmas decorations come down and top methods for storage. Find more festive tips and decoration inspiration at our Christmas hub, or visit your local Homebase to browse our 2023 Christmas range.