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What's the earliest that you've taken down your Christmas display?


Speedster

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I usually wait until 1 or 2 weekends after New Year's Day to tear down our Christmas display.  But due to several inches of snow in the forecast yesterday, several days later this week, and several days next week,  I decided to tear down yesterday Dec 27.  With my back & shoulder problems having gotten worse this year, I figured it would be better to tear down before all the ground props and cords got buried by snow and encased in snow that melted and refroze.  Much safer to go up and down ladders too while the ground is still snow-free.

We (and probably our neighbors too) aren't used to our house already being dark this soon after Christmas.  But we'll keep our indoor lights and Christmas tree up for several more weeks.

Edited by Speedster
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I normally take mine down on the 2nd of January but because of the increase in people coming I think I am going to wait until the 2nd week of Jan and then decide but no more than 2 weeks.

Funny how it takes 3 to 4 weeks to set up but only half a day to tear down and store it away, In my case, rotate out for the next show in july, lol 

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Normally my last night is the Friday after New Years Day.  However with 1/1 being on Friday, I'm not sure when I will shut down.  That will depend on traffic.  Current guess is Saturday 2 January will close and tear down on Sunday.  By that time I should be fully recovered from COVID and feel inspired enough to do the teardown work.

 

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I keep mine up until the nicest weekend to tear down after Jan 6. You know, Jan 6th...the 12th Day of Christmas? The actual Christmas season STARTS on Christmas Day, not the day after Thanksgiving. So I keep my show running until Jan 2 and then run all lights static until the 6th, then go dark. The nicest weekend after that I take down. Here in Northern Virginia, we'll get a couple of those before it gets really cold toward the end of Jan and into Feb. 

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I'll run mine tonight, Monday, then possibly shut it down for the season. Depends on how many cars are still coming by. Normally after I shut it down, I start taking it down the next day as it takes me a solid week to take it apart and get it put away.

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Normally I can take mine apart in a day, but my energy level has been REALLY low due to my COVID, so it may take longer this year...

I'm generally not in any hurry to shut down and tear apart.  A couple years ago I left it up until late January - did not run it that long.  My sister from Colorado had never seen the show and was coming out to SoCal for a visit in mid January.  I left it all set up and ran it for her after she arrived.  I'm sure it surprised the neighbors when it lit up after being dark for a couple weeks!

 

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I always run my show through New Year's eve, but given the traffic flow this year I am planning to run my show through Sunday night (Jan 3rd).  Tear down usually occurs depending on the weather but within 2 weeks of the final show.  There is also a movement here in Northern Virginia (might be more wide-spread than that) to keep our lights up through January in support of 1st responders, but like tlogan stated, the weather can turn really cold and nasty towards the end of January.

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I saw that reference to keeping them on for the responders. IF we get bad weather early and I can't get it down, that will be my story an I'm sticking to it!

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Usually it's my first full day off of work after Christmas. So yesterday this year.  Just put away the last strand of lights an hour ago.  The matrix will stay on the roof until Easter.  I use it each month until then.  Plus it's the North facing, so it's iced over until March anyways.

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One year I took everything down on 12/26.   I figured the neighbors have had enough of hearing Christmas music for 2 months, so opted to take it all down.  But all my neighbors complained I took it down too soon. LOL   Sure didn't expect that one.  

I live in a predominantly Spanish neighborhood and 3 Kings Day that they celebrate is on, I believe January 6, as they don't usually start taking down their Christmas displays until after that date.  And they wanted my display to remain up until then.  So after 3 Kings Day the display comes down now and has for quite a few years now,  So if it's in the middle of the week, display comes down the weekend right after, if it's on a weekend, it comes down the following weekend or, depending on the weather here in Florida, directly after that date on Jan. 7.

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15 hours ago, Orville said:

One year I took everything down on 12/26.   I figured the neighbors have had enough of hearing Christmas music for 2 months, so opted to take it all down.  But all my neighbors complained I took it down too soon. LOL   Sure didn't expect that one.  

I live in a predominantly Spanish neighborhood and 3 Kings Day that they celebrate is on, I believe January 6, as they don't usually start taking down their Christmas displays until after that date.  And they wanted my display to remain up until then.  So after 3 Kings Day the display comes down now and has for quite a few years now,  So if it's in the middle of the week, display comes down the weekend right after, if it's on a weekend, it comes down the following weekend or, depending on the weather here in Florida, directly after that date on Jan. 7.

Three Kings Day IS the 12th day of Christmas. As I said above, the Christmas Season, according to the Liturgical calendar, STARTS on Christmas Day and lasts for 12 days (up to Jan 6). So good for you, Orville! I'm always about the last holdout in my neighborhood use the same takedown schedule as you. 

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We will be lit till the 6th of Jan, then I will start wrapping it up , still have folks coming by and on the neighbor hood web site wanting to know when it will stop as some  folks have people coming in from out of town.  Have a folks coming up from Miami tonight, cool.  I will be ready and out there to say hello.

David

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I was going to start today.  However, there was a drenching rain yesterday.   Not sure how most feel about packing things up after a soaking rain, but I have taken things out the following year to find them still wet.   Any thoughts on this?

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Tonight I am closing the show - :( .  I will likely take a few things down Sunday, but because I have been sick, I think the tree will stay up till next weekend.  I will at least get the arches off the lawn.  That way I can have my son mow the lawn again.

 

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