FIR REAL?
I’ve already taken my Christmas tree down… people troll me and say it’s ‘bad luck’ but there’s a good reason why
Plus, the exact date you should take the Christmas tree and all the decorations down
A MUM has taken the internet by storm after revealing she's already taken the Christmas tree down, with trolls insisting it's ''bad luck''.
Although it's Boxing Day and millions of people around the world are still in the festive spirit, it seems that for one woman who calls herself ''relatable mum'' Christmas is already over.
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The parent recently revealed that she gets rid of all the holiday decorations, including the fir, right after Christmas Eve - and according to her, there's a good reason behind the move.
Uploading a video of herself clearing the living room, the mum said: ''Unpopular opinion: I take my tree and decorations down on Christmas Day... How many days do you keep yours up for?''
She went on in the caption: ''I just can’t handle any longer, my OCD starts making me tick so the easiest solution is to get the thing down and back in the loft, all the toys have a home and we have a organised home again for 2025.''
The mum explained that she puts the fir up simply ''for the children and the Christmas spirit'' - however, ''once the gifts are done, family have all left and it’s just cleaning'' it feels ''right'' for her to remove the decorations and the fir.
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According to the parent, who put the tree up at the start of the month, her kids are not too fussed about the lack of decorations past Christmas either.
''I actually can’t deal with the clutter it all has to go.
''We shop on Boxing Day but I think if we had a home day we would do ours then too I’ve taken it down on Christmas Day for as long as I remember.''
But although the mum may now have a tidy home, the video has sparked a fierce debate on the platform, where it's racked up more than a staggering 42k views in less than 24 hours.
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Hundreds of social media users flooded to comments to share their thoughts and the exact date they take the fir down.
One said: ''we take ours down after new year, makes christmas last longer, no way would i take it down xmas day, im too busy eating.''
I'm obsessed with The Grinch - I watch it three times a day and my movie-inspired tree leaves visitors speechless
Another wrote: ''1st Dec until 2nd January. winter is depressing so try and make Christmas a long celebration.''
Someone else chimed in: ''6th Jan — I feel it’s bad luck to take it down before then plus i actually hate how my sitting room looks without it.''
''Why make the Christmas tree if you take it down on Christmas DAY? I don’t get it,'' a viewer was baffled.
How to look after your real Christmas tree
HERE'S what you need to know if you're buying a real Christmas tree:
First thing's first: buy a pot (if it doesn't come in one already).
You'll need to treat your tree just like a houseplant and give it water and attention.
Make sure the container has good drainage - and it's a good idea to put something underneath to catch the excess water.
Check the soil everyday to make sure it's not drying out.
If it feels dry, give it some water. If it still feels moist, leave it alone as too much water can also kill a tree.
Also check the LED bulbs on your tree lights aren't too hot as they could burn it, and keep your tree away from radiators.
When Christmas is over, try planting it in the garden so you can dig it up and use it again next year.
It's a good idea to take it out of its pot when you do re-plant it though, as large trees don't survive well in pots as their roots need space to grow.
Hitting back at some of the critics, the ''relatable mum'' said: ''Christmas can be celebrated traditionally or if as a family a different way works better then that’s right for you.
''It’s each to their own, I love how each family do it differently.
''I wish I liked decorations more to keep them up but by Christmas it’s all too much.''
When should I take my Christmas tree and festive decorations down?
This question's a bit simpler to answer. Your Christmas tree should be down by the 12th day of Christmas, which falls on January 6.
This date marks the Epiphany - the day when the Three Wise Men visited the baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem.
The Epiphany is the official end of the festive season.
Why is it unlucky to keep your tree up beyond the 12th night?
As the legend goes, tree spirits take shelter in Christmas greenery, such as your tree and holly, during the festive season.
But, once this period of time has passed, the spirits need to be released back into the wild.
If people don't take out their trees and release them, legend says that the greenery won't grow back in spring - leading to farming problems and food shortages.
Many people now take their trees down early, to avoid encouraging bad luck.
But kids were traditionally told that, if you took your tree down before the eve of the Epiphany, the Three Wise Men wouldn't be able to find their way - because of the Star of Bethlehem, i.e. our fairy lights, guided them to Jesus.
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Another superstition is that you should take your Christmas tree down before the bell tolls for midnight on New Year's Eve.
If you don't meet this deadline, you're said to be dragging your baggage into the new year.
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