Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night is one of his best-known works. It is a day in the beginning of January, nevertheless, that also carries Victorian-era customs.
It’s always possible to take down your Christmas decorations the first week of January without fully understanding why. Perhaps as a youngster, your parents forbade you from leaving them outside any longer, and the custom has persisted with your own family ever since.
But why is that so? From where did this come? We can go all the way back to Twelfth Night, though.
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When is Twelfth Night in 2023?
Twelfth Night is usually held on January 5 or January 6, the exact date is often disputed.
It is called “Twelfth Night” because it is the 12th night after Christmas. Some say that you begin counting the days on Christmas Day, while others begin counting on December 26.
Twelfth Night is also considered to mark the coming of the Epiphany. This is a Christian feast day which falls on January 6 and means different things to different churches.
What are the Twelfth Night traditions?
Many people follow the tradition that says Christmas trees and decorations should be taken down on either Twelfth Night or Epiphany.
According to Professor Nick Groom, it was the Victorians who decided that decorations should come down after the 12th day. He told iNews that this was because they wanted everybody to get back to work.
Nowadays, people continue this tradition but mainly do so to avoid bad luck in the year ahead.
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How can you get rid of your Christmas tree?
If you have a real Christmas tree, it is important to dispose of it properly.
Plenty of councils run a Christmas tree collection service, and there may also be organisations near you that offer a “treecycling” service which uses the trees to build flood barriers across the UK.
You could also replant your tree in your garden, or shred it into chippings.
In 2020, Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said it is important that “we dispose of trees sustainably”.
“If you have a tree with its roots still attached, then replanting your Christmas tree is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and help our efforts to plant more trees,” she said.
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