Dates for putting up Christmas decorations

I seem to recall that the Germans decorate their houses for Christmas earlier than we normally do in the UK (12 days of Christmas etc). Can anyone shed some light on this and let me know what the tradition is here in Germany?

Thanks

The first advent kicks off the season. Some save the tree for Christmas Day though.

As far as I'm aware, the 12 Days of Christmas refer to after Christmas (I'm happy to be corrected on this!). The Christmas tree goes up on St. Nikolaus Day (24th December) and stays up until the 6th January. Other decorations, as eurovol says, go up on the first Advent, i.e. the fourth Sunday before Christmas (usually the first weekend of December; this is also when the Christmas markets open).

Edit: ooh, I was right! Wikipedia: 12 Days of Christmas

Wrong about this, though. St. Nicholas is on December 6th.

Ive seen people puting them up on houses over a month ago.



The joys of Christamas in England lol i will try and get some pics over the next few weeks, there realy are some bad ones out there

Traditionally the German housewife decorates the tree on Christmas Eve (24th).

We always do it a few days earlier

Germans tend to put up a creche, one figure or one group of figures each day starting on December 1 and finishing with the Christlkindl on December 24. They also have an Advent wreath with four candles and light a new candle each Advent Sunday. The tree is generally put up on the 24th as well.
Another nice tradition is cutting cherry branches and putting them into a vase on December 4 (St. Barbara) so that they begin budding for Christmas.

xmas eve is my family's tradition back home and my wife's family‘s tradition here in germany to. always buy the tree at about 12 oclock on xmas eve. surprisingly cheaper then. last year was 3.5 metres for twenty euros.

They are often mad enough to attach REAL candles to a tinder-try Christmas tree in an effort to torch the place up!

If you plan on doing this check your insurances first

I thought it was all going too well!

@HEM - um nooooo -- they still put real candles on the tree because it's theoretically still fresh and green as they've only put it up Dec. 24. If you've put up your tree on Dec. 1 or so, it will be dried out tinder by Xmas...

But they dont chuck the tree out on the 26th & I've seen enough people trying to light their candles at least a week later & wonder why I move to the furthest point in the room...

aha -- well get the camera ready in that case. You can get famous on YouTube.

No opportunity for that this year - we shall be far far far away

you usualy put the candles on the outer parts of branches where they can not burn anything. dont be silly.

The tree should stay up until Epiphany (6 January) but my late ex-in-laws kept theirs until Lady's Day (2 February). Talk about tinderbox! Sure, they had a huge, full watering can next to the tree but considering their physical frailty they would never have hoisted it to the top of a burning tree flanked by a tv set and tons of decade-old books in wooden bookcases. I'm surprised they both died a natural death.

In my family, my Mom always put up decorations right after Thanksgiving. Since Santa is always the last balloon/float in the Macy's Thankgiving Day Parade, it's traditional to start preparing for Christmas as soon as Thanksgiving is over.

i think real candles on a christmas tree are just great ... better that flashing fairy lights!

I don't know about tradition but I usually put my christmas tree up around 5th-6th december and take it down just before new year, I Like to get it all out of the way so I don't have to do it with an hangover :-)

You haven't got them up yet?

The chocolate santas have been in the stores for three weeks. Already on like my fifth one, with no stopping.

(My "Easter Break" is that hell desert between when the Chocolate Santas are sold out completely (at half price) and when the chocolate Easter bunnies start popping up).

NIKOLAUS!!!
OSTERHASEN!!!

I love buying this stuff like that and then leaving it around the apartment for the local roommates to experience.

If they ask about it, you make like "Oh, isn't that the custom? It was already in YOUR stores"

agree with Bern. after thanksgiving (US not Canada) and Thanksgiving generally corresponds with advent starting with in the next week or so. Accordingly, about a month before Christmas starts I would say is fine and not too early.

In the concrete desert where I reside, they have tendecy to plaster the balconies and windows with enough lights to be seen from Alpha Centauri (Green Tea will confirm this) and using enough energy to power Downtown Tokio for 3 weeks . I have a rather cute little fibre light thingy which never gets switched on during this period, as I am a caring kind of chap when it comes to energy.

I've already planned where to put my tree Just a question of putting up the fake, but fairly real looking one that is far from symmetrical or trying to find a real one so early and keeping it green until new years.

Damn - I forgot about the cats... This could suck.

I put up some fairy lights in the dining room today

I miss all my nice decorations.
I used to put my stuff up the middle of Dec, and take down New Years day.
Loved sitting my living room with only the lights from the Victorian Village, the small tree and the greenery with little lights around the door way.

According to the German aunts, the decorations should go up on the 6th of December.

@ DDBug, don't worry too much about the cats. Just don't use your heirloom glass ornaments, go more for straw stars and wooden figurines. Ours never tried to climb the tree but do like hiding behind it.

I hate the straw stars, but the glass figurines died last year when they were kittens. I think it's time to go out and get new christmas decorations!!!