When Should I Take Down Christmas Decorations?
Any time from December 26th. January 6th is the traditional end of the Twelve Days of Christmas, so it's the common deadline, and outdoor lights can stay until the weather's better.
This is the only ruling on the docket that runs the other way. The 26th is legal. The Court won't stop you, and it won't ask what you felt when the living room looked big again.
There are two kinds of people, and they don't really get along. One kind's got the tree on the curb by 11 a.m. and feels great, like they've gotten away with something. The other kind wants it up until January 6th, when the Twelve Days run out, and thinks the first kind is a monster. Both are legal. The first kind's just got more room.
Don't wait too long if you've got a real tree. Once it's dropping needles it's getting dry, so get it out of the house, and check your town's schedule for tree pickup, since many only run for a few weeks in January. Outdoor lights can wait for a dry, mild day. Everything has to be down by January 31st.
Do yourself a favor while you're packing. Wrap each strand of lights around a piece of cardboard. Test them first and throw out the dead ones. Label the boxes. You won't, but the Court had to say it.
Before you close the bin, have a look at it. It's been down. Hasn't it? It better have been.
The Ruling: Allowed from December 26 through January 31.
This ruling comes from a joke website. There is no court. The dates are our opinion, and the practical tips are ordinary common sense, so use your own judgment.