Retailers appear to be putting up their Christmas lights and decorations earlier and earlier each year.
Some homes follow suit, with lights going up in October, but tradition dictates that they should only start shining in December.
Christmas decorations actually used to be put up on Christmas Eve and not before because the penitential season of Advent, which begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, was more widely observed than it is today. It ends at midnight on Christmas Eve.
Apart from Advent observance, many people believed it was unlucky to bring evergreens, which were traditionally used to decorate homes, into the home before Christmas Eve.
These days most people begin displaying their decorations about a fortnight before Christmas, although more and more are opting for a month-long display in December.
Christmas lights on the high street are generally switched on in November.
In terms of taking down the decorations, this should be done before the end of the 12th Day of Christmas on 5th January. According to a custom that has been around since the reign of Queen Victoria, to let them remain up after 5th January will only bring you bad luck.
The Christmas tree itself has only been a tradition in Britain since 1861 when Queen Victoria introduced a tree decorated with candles, tinsel and ornaments as part of the Christmas celebrations at Windsor Castle.
She took her lead from her Consort, Prince Albert, who had told her about decorating fir trees over the festive period in his native Germany. A Christmas tree was first recorded in German territory in 1521
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General
Posted: 30. November 2010 17:24