By Gus Saltonstall
It is a question I’ve heard repeatedly over the years.
When is the right time to get rid of your Christmas tree?
In my experience, there are five answers that arise most often.
In the first group, a strong set of believers insist that the tree should be removed from the apartment the day after Christmas. The holiday is done, thus so is the tree.
Then, there is the New Year’s Day group: those who believe that apartment Christmas trees do not belong standing in the month of January, and make a family tradition of removing the tree on January 1.
In the third group, there are those who adhere to religious tradition, and remove their tree on January 6, which is known as Three Kings Day, and marks the end of the Christmas period.
The fourth group is the least calculated. It comprises those people and families that simply remove their tree when it begins showing obvious signs of decay. This generally takes place in the first two weeks of January, depending on when the tree was purchased.
The fifth group leaves their trees standing for as long as possible. Deep into January. Even, in the most extreme of cases, the first week of February.
This group is split into two camps.
The first are those that simply love having the tree up in the apartment and do everything in their power to keep it alive, so to speak. The other, either through ambivalence, laziness, or dread at the idea of navigating a tree through their apartment and into the elevator or down the stairs, put off the removal task for as long as possible.
Of course, there is also an art to a Christmas tree removal, the importance of keeping sap and needles from covering every inch of your apartment.
I’m not sure there is a correct answer to the Christmas tree removal question. But if you have a viewpoint on the subject, or any tips on how to carry a Christmas tree outside without making a mess, please let us know in the comments.
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Christmas trees are kept until January 6 in the Catholic religion.
If you have bedsheets that you don’t care about, lay them on the ground over to bungee cords. Live the tree down on the sheets pick up the bungee cords and join them. The tree is now wrapped in a sheet, carry it out.
I agree the sheet is a great way to get the tree out of your building without driving the neighbors and building staff crazy…Also keep in mind that the tree (assuming you can’t make it to a mulching site) should be left out on the street the same day that composting is collected. And leave it “naked” –without any sheets or plastic bags! For more info: https://www.nyc.gov/site/dsny/news/24-040/when-christmas-tree-collection-this-week-next-week-following-week-any-week-you-want-#/0
Dear WSR
I’m surprised you are using valuable print-space on this topic at this time. Easter does not come until late – April 20th this year. I figure that’s almost 4 months before any thinking needes to be done.
If it’s a real tree, as quickly as possible as it dries out and becomes more and more of a fire hazard.
Borrowing from a pre-repentant Mr. Scrooge, anyone who disposes of their Christmas tree immediately after Christmas Day “should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart.” Ours stays up through January 7th, Orthodox Christmas.
There are 12 days of Christmas, and the first one is not Black Friday 🙂
Funny and true.
I wait for the Epiphany on Jan 6 also.
Trees will last for several months if kept outdoors. People with outdoor spaces should pick up trees that are tossed and enjoy them for longer!
Jan. 1 or 2. We typically get 4-5 ft tall trees that are narrow so here’s what we do: one of us tosses it out the window while the other makes sure nobody will be injured. We carry it by the top and off we head to Riverside to the mulch pile!
Happy New year, Everyone!
I no longer get a tree. When I did in the past and struggled to get rid of it without making a mess, I wondered why apartment buildings didn’t obtain some sturdy reusable bags so residents or porters could carry the trees out without leaving a trail of needles. Dump tree on sidewalk or carry to mulch fest; reuse the bags next year, Could even be used to bring trees into the building. Maybe such a thing doesn’t exist? LL Bean could whip some up with their tote bag material. Would pricey but could be used for years. The plastic ones are useless. Shredded easily, could not be re-used and terrible for the environment.
It’s odd that you find bags terrible for the environment yet you’re seemingly ok with using a tree that was grown for the sole purpose of being cut down for a short-lived holiday celebration. Don’t understand how you reconcile those thoughts.
I’m a January 6 Episcpalian, but I don’t judge. Except for people who let their trees get brown and extra-crispy and flammable.
We will just disassemble it and put it in the closet. Probably get around to it some time in February.
Christmas trees are kept until AFTER January 6 in the Catholic religion. (The 6th is the holiday, so you would wait until after that)