I had a feeling that the idea of Christmas decorations being taken down by a certain date to protect against bad luck had a bit of a pagan vibe to it.
Despite the association of the 5th/6th January with Christian celebrations of Epiphany and the arrival of the Three Kings, many pagans also find magical connections with the 12 days of Christmas.
I was so excited to learn more about this, and discover the dreaming and divination practices of this time in the Holly, Spruce and Heathenry event that I was part of in the session the super magical Jenny Rose.
And from the research I’ve done around this bad luck idea, there does seem to be a potential pagan thread here too.
The bad luck could have been associated with the evergreen plants brought inside the home around the winter solstice celebrations, and the need of the tree spirits to be released again.
So, I’ve taken this to mean that so long as the Christmas tree is outside again on the 6th, the fairy lights and other pretty things can stay!
We have a Christmas tree in a pot that my dad grew for us, and I chat to them as we bring them in and decorate, thank them as we return them to the fresh air.
And, I’m starting my own slow growing tradition which I invite you to join in too.
January decorations!
To help combat that bare feeling, I like to replace the Christmas decorations with something that has a hint of spring and celebrates the good things about a new calendar year. Like the fresh start vibes and promise of what’s to come.
You can see some videos over on my TikTok and have a try at some January decorations of your own!