The Undecorating Season is here. The twelfth night after Christmas -- or the Feast of the Epiphany (when the Wise Men arrived) -- is the traditional European day to remove all the Christmas decorations. It can also be one of the most annoying times of the year for those who have a lot of Christmas decorations to take down.
The Feast of the Epiphany, which this year falls on Wednesday, is considered by many to be the end of the holiday season. It is also considered the unofficial kickoff of the undecorating season and a busy time for professional organizers.
It's also the season of falls, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control, which found that the rate of falls among younger adults rises sharply during holidays. The CDC urges caution and sturdy step stools and ladders when taking down decorations.
Professional organizers have other tips. Some suggest taking pictures of things that looked nice together and storing them accordingly, while others advocate "zoning storage," for example, putting outdoor decorations in the garage.
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Bob Brenner, a retired teacher who has written books on Christmas history and collectibles, says taking down ornaments on Jan. 6 is a European tradition still followed by many people of German, Polish and Czech ancestry. The tradition, in part, dates before 1900 when ornaments were often real fruit, nuts and marzipan. "That was a special day when you got to eat everything on the tree," he says. Glass ornaments that could be packed up each year originally became more popular in the 1870s for people who couldn't afford fresh fruit, he says.
In some parts of the country people leave their Christmas lights on until March because the winter weather is so depressing. The lights seem to make things more cheery. But in most of the country, the trees are pitched out and the light are down by tonight. Happy Undecorating Day!
