Christmas 'Undecorating'

For me it is always twelfth night.

My darling mum died on twelfth night, many years ago now, but she loved Christmas and all the shebang so they stay up for her. And then the tree is replaced by a huge bouquet of pure white lilies. It is a lovely tribute to her and makes the house feel very spring like and fresh.

Well you can argue that its either but its the 5th in our house. Its all about whether night follows day or day follows night. The twelve days of Christmas start at midnight on Christmas Day as we go into Boxing Day so the twelve days of Christmas start technically with the first night ... as it starts from midnight not day break. That makes the twelfth night the night of the 5th followed by the twelfth day ... the 6th. Am I helping any?

I've always gone with the 6th - never really thought about it. Having said that, the lights are no longer switched on after the night of the 5th so I suppose that's about right. Then again, the tree and all the other decs don't get dismantled until OH has got the boxes back out of the loft - could be the best part of a week, depending on when he can be bothered!

It can be either. It depends how you count it. In my family its always been the 5th but if you look on t'internet it can actually be either. I've explained it as I've always understood if. Not saying its right.