If the cheery twinkle of those Christmas lights and the sparkle of the baubles on the tree makes you smile and fills you with warmth and thought of taking of taking your Christmas decorations down fills you with sadness, then don't take them down and here's why you don't have to take then down on 12th night........
Keep your decorations up until Candlemas, a medieval festival that was traditionally the end of the festive season on 2nd February.
The event has the full name of The Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was celebrated in Medieval England with feats and the blessing of candles that were used in churches in the coming year. Houses were decorated with greenery for the Christmas season on Christmas Day Eve. This feasting would continue until Epiphany on 6th January - our 12th night. However, contrary to popular belief the Christmas season actually continues right through until 2nd February - Candlemas.
The tradition that its bad luck to keep your decorations up after 12th Night is a modern invention. Although this could have come from the medieval notion that decorations left up after Candlemas Eve would be possessed by goblins!
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