Christmas in Poland - does it really extend into February?

Does it really go into February? Why?

Thanks,

Sarah

not xmas...
but maybe you are talking about a xmas tree...

Poles leave the xmas tree until Jan. 6th (Trzech Króli)
or until Feb. 2nd (Matki Bożej Gromnicznej)
it depends on the region...

mine is gone right after the new years and xmas ends Dec. 26th

The official end of the Chrsitmas season inb Poland is Candlemas (2nd Feb.). In Polish it is called święto Matki Boskiej Gromnicznej (Feast of Our Lady of the Thunder Candle), because it was ocne believed to protect agaisnt electrical storms. In the universal Church it is called the Feast of the Purificaiton, when according to Jewish traditon a motehr whohad given birth goes to the temple to be purified.

By traditon rather than by connection, Christmas decorations stay up in many places until then. Home Chrsitmas trees usually shed and are chucked before then.

On Candlemas, candles to be lighted at the bedside of the dying and dead are blessed in churches.

Here in the USA people leave their xmas lights and decorations sometimes until february. mine are already down. I wouldnt mind having a tree in the house all year long actually very nice.

Actually, with the darn snow, all the outside lights still left in place look great. Some houses could stop lighting up Santa, however. The old grunt s/b back in N. Pole resting.

Some people leave thier decorations up all year round, just go to Alabama

You know you're supposed to always keep one x-mas decoration for the whole year - for a good luck...right?
I have one X-mas fridge magnet, which is left for the whole year. It seems to work so far, i hope it will "keep" the luck this year too!

I hang Christmas balls on the outside trees, the ones that don't blow away stay. I guess that's good luck :)

Sarah