Take down decorations
When to Take Christmas Decorations and Christmas Tree Down
Kseniya OvchinnikovaGetty Images
Christmas and New Year has passed and we are all left wondering: When should we take down our Christmas tree and decorations? If you're desperate to cling on to that festive spirit, you'll be pleased to know that the 5th or 6th of January could be the answer, depending on which Christian calendar you follow.
When should you take your Christmas decorations down?
Most of the tradition around the taking down of Christmas decorations is centered around the tree because, back in the day, that was likely the only decoration. Traditionally, the Christmas tree should stay up until the 'Twelfth Night' (more on this, and the exact date of when that is, below).
In modern times, however, Christmas decorations have got bigger and twinklier and spread all over the inside and outside of our homes. In terms of wider decorations – like lights in our gardens – there are less dictating traditions.
It's important to remember that there is no right or wrong answer. Some people prefer to keep decorations up longer to ease the January blues, while others can't wait to pack them away and have a deep clean.
Dan BrownswordGetty Images
In fact, during the pandemic, we have seen a change in Christmas decoration timings, with people putting them up earlier and taking them down much later, in an attempt to add as much cheer as possible to what have been two uncertain festive periods.
A campaign group in Nottinghamshire, Let's Light Up Locally, put up their Christmas decorations on 1st November in 2020. Tankerton village in Kent turned their Christmas lights back on in the middle of February 2021 to help lift the community's spirits during the winter lockdown.
When to take Christmas tree down?
Christian tradition says your Christmas tree should stay up until the 'Twelfth Night', which celebrates the arrival of the Three Wise Men, or Magi, who followed the star of Bethlehem to bring their gifts to baby Jesus.
When is the Twelfth Night?
The answer isn't as straightforward as you might think. While Christian tradition dictates advent is the four weeks prior to Christmas Eve (24th December), starting on a Sunday, different beliefs make the post-Christmas period harder to define, especially the Twelfth Night.
When to take your Christmas tree down is all dependant on when you start counting the '12 Days of Christmas', if you're going by tradition.
The Church of England counts from Christmas Day, so the Twelfth Night always falls on 5th January. But other denominations, including the Catholic Church, start counting the 12 Days of Christmas from Boxing Day, so the 6th January is the Twelfth Night and also Epiphany.
Daniel Kaesler / EyeEmGetty Images
What are the 12 Days of Christmas?
Each of the 12 days after Christmas has a special meaning, celebrating different saints with a feast day. For example, Boxing Day on 26th December commemorates St Stephen the martyr.
That's why it's also known as St Stephen's Day.
What is Epiphany?
Epiphany is the official end of the festive season on 6th January each year. It's an ancient Christian feast day celebrating the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, and the arrival of the Three Wise Men.
Around the world, special services take place. In Rome, the Pope presides over the Vatican's Annual Holy Mass for the Epiphany.
What to do with Christmas tree and decorations after you've taken them down
Follow our helpful guides to make sure you wrap up Christmas as sustainably as possible this year:
When to Take Down Your Christmas Tree
As the holiday season comes to an end, it’s time to pause our favorite Christmas traditions: preparing festive dinner recipes, baking Christmas cookies and watching the all-time best Christmas movies. Part of the post-holiday process will inevitably involve putting away your Christmas decorations — like packing up your Christmas lights, organizing your ornaments and, of course, figuring out when to take down the Christmas tree.
Year after year, when to take down your Christmas tree becomes a topic of conversation — whether you typically go for a real spruce tree or an artificial Christmas tree. Some homeowners worry that it can be considered bad luck to leave Christmas decorations up for too long, while others try to soak up as much of the merry season as possible.
David Tsay
When should you take down your Christmas tree?
If you find yourself stumped over this very question, perhaps consider letting tradition be your guide. Dating back to the fourth century, many Christians have marked the end of the Christmas season on the Twelfth Night (or 12 nights after Christmas) — an evening also known as the Eve of the Epiphany.
Although Christian groups reportedly disagree over which date is the correct one, tradition dictates that the Twelfth Night is the best time to take down your festive decorations — including your tree.
The date falls on January 5 or January 6, depending on whether or not you count Christmas as day one.
The Epiphany, also known as Three Kings' Day, marks the day the three wise men visited baby Jesus and hailed him as a king in Bethlehem. It's believed that keeping your decorations on display for too long after the Twelfth Night can bring bad luck.
tacojim//Getty Images
Of course, all of this to say that you should really take down your Christmas tree when it's the most convenient time for you and your family — whether that's the day after Christmas, New Year's Eve or you prefer decorating your tree all year long. Take a note from Dolly Parton, who leaves her tree up until after her birthday on January 19. After all, you worked hard decorating your tree — you should enjoy it for as long as you want.
How to dispose of your real Christmas tree?
According to experts, Christmas trees can stay fresh for five weeks or more when given proper care.
Chances are your spruce is still in good condition, so long as you've periodically trimmed the trunk and kept it well watered. Instead of tossing it to the curb, consider one of these clever ways to breathe new life into your tree:
- Use branches to make a pretty winter wreath
- Break it into pieces and start your own compost
- Depending where you live, you may be able to bring your old tree to a recycling center
This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
How to photograph jewelry without a studio. Action Guide
Many online retailers worry about capturing the beauty of sparkling jewelry in photos. However, shooting jewelry is not as difficult as it might seem. Here is a checklist of simple points that will be useful to follow in order to get good photos.
Prepare props and materials
- Window and natural light
Photographing sparkly jewelry with a flash is not a good idea because the jewelry will reflect bright light, creating highlights and harsh shadows in the background, as the two examples below demonstrate.
Unless you are an experienced photographer with the ability to shoot in a professional studio, take pictures of jewelry using natural light, such as window light. Although bright sunlight will create glare and harsh shadows, this light can be scattered by covering the window with a white screen. Please note - any other than white, the color of such a screen will change the shade of the light itself.
- Shooting background: white sheet or paper
The reflectivity of the surfaces of most jewelry means that all other colors will be absorbed, therefore, to avoid discoloration of the product, you need to shoot objects against a white background. White reflects light rays while dark colors absorb them, so your subject will be better illuminated if you use a white background, such as a white piece of paper.
- Camera and tripod
When photographing jewelry, it's not so much about the camera itself, but about the lens.
When buying a macro lens for the first time, we recommend choosing a lens with a focal length of 60mm. This focal length will allow you to get a magnification of 0.5x, while more expensive macro lenses provide life-size magnification (1:1). And using a good tripod will ensure that your photos are sharp and in focus.
- Dummy
Most hand-made shops sell bust mannequins, which are a great way to give your jewelry a beautiful and realistic look. Most shops sell black busts, which make the jewelry stand out and give it a touch of elegance. However, it is better to photograph the jewelry against a white background, so you can cover the mannequin with a white cloth.
- Cardboard
Do you have a dummy? Create a kind of jewelry tablet-stand. Take a piece of cardboard, wrap it in white paper, attach or tape the ends of the necklace to the back of it. So, for example, you can adjust the length of the chain and not worry about its size if you do not have a large tablet.
- Using a glue gun or double-sided tape
When photographing jewelry rings, it is convenient to use a drop of glue from a glue gun or double-sided tape to fix them. With this, you can fix the rings at the desired angle, as shown in the photo below.
- Line
We recommend using the line for photographing items such as dangling earrings. You can use a piece of cardboard folded in half and stretch the line from one plane to another, as shown in the figure below. When photographing, make sure that the jewelry does not swing on such a hanger.
Shooting jewelry
- Use a special lens
If you have purchased a digital SLR or mirrorless camera, you will get a lens, which is usually a short zoom wide-angle lens. Numerically, the focal length is most often from 18 to 55 mm. These lenses are great for everyday photography, but they are not suitable for photographing small items such as rings or earrings.
For such purposes, you will need to purchase a special lens. Look for a model on sale that has a focal length of about 60mm. You can set the camera at a small distance from the subject, the magnification will be 0.5x. If you can afford it, buy a 1:1 macro lens.
- Use a sturdy tripod
Camera shake is a photographer's worst enemy. When working with small objects such as jewelry, any slight wobble caused by holding the camera with your hand will appear as blur in the final photo. To avoid this, choose a sturdy tripod. In a tripod, look for a removable ball head that is compatible with the platform camera and for a spirit level in the legs or on the tripod head.
The advantage of a tripod ball head is the use of liquid to achieve the desired angle. As long as the head is unlocked, you can freely adjust the camera to further fix the selected angle.
- Light the jewelry evenly and completely
A standard macro lighting setup should include at least two light sources - flashes or continuous lights.
One to the left of the object and one to the right.
- Choose the right aperture and make sure everything is in focus
When using a macro lens to photograph jewelry, don't think that a wider aperture (f2.8 or f4) will make your photos brighter.
If you choose a large aperture (f2.8), more light will enter the lens, but only a small amount of the subject will be in focus. The rest of the focus "falls off" and this effect is called "bokeh".
The bokeh effect is suitable for portrait photography, but not for jewelry photography. Therefore, a large aperture of f2.8 or f4 is not suitable, as you will not be able to see all the details of the decoration.
For best results when shooting in aperture-priority mode (indicated by Av or A on most camera mode settings), choose an aperture of f11 or f16. These lower values result in less bokeh, which is better suited for depicting all of the jewelry's details.
Common mistakes to avoid when photographing jewelry
- You didn't prepare your jewelry very well.
Clean jewelry, polish it before shooting. This will save you time that would otherwise be spent on post-editing images - removing dust and fingerprints from jewelry. - Poor lighting. Lighting should be complete and the same for a series of photographs.
- Glare. Incorrect lighting will cause glare in the pictures and hide the details of the products.
- Incorrect color rendering. The color of the products should be as close to reality as possible so as not to mislead the buyer.
- Incorrect image size. Jewelry (and especially earrings) can really vary in size. Therefore, stick to the same size of the images so that everything is aligned and easily viewed on the online store site.
- Inappropriate background. Take photos of jewelry from the same brand on the same background.
- Not enough photos. Capture more product photos, in every detail and from every angle. Show details, clasps, chain and how to wear this jewelry.
One last tip
Keeping your photos consistent makes it much easier for the customer to view your products. Such unified requirements for photographs can be described in the general guidelines for the photography team. Can you imagine that every time you change photographers, the style of the photos taken for the site changes?
If you're not sure, make it simple. Use a clean background on all product images.
Tags:how to photograph, product photography, catalog photography, photography for beginners
Almost everyone who wears jewelry accessories has a favorite piece of jewelry that they don't want to part with even for a minute. Many do just that: the accessory is always with them. Most often, without removing, they wear those jewelry that are symbols - wedding rings, crosses.
Is it possible not to part with accessories? How to wear jewelry correctly? Let's try to figure it out.
Rules for wearing jewelry
Selection of accessories is an art. It is important that they harmoniously fit into the bow, emphasize the individuality of the owner and his good taste. But you need not only to learn how to choose accessories, but also to wear jewelry correctly. It depends on how long your favorite product will last without losing its original beauty.
The jewelry accessory cannot be worn permanently. From this, jewelry loses its luster, scratches appear on them. But what if you want to show off in any product every day? Of course, listen to your desires. But it is important to know under what circumstances it is necessary to remove jewelry, and not to break the rules. The situations in which jewelry should be removed are listed below.
- While doing housework. Household chemicals can harm the material from which the jewelry is made, as a result, stains and scratches will remain on the surface of the accessory.
Aggressive chemical components "steal" the beauty of stones, so jewelry with inserts must be removed before doing homework - during cleaning, washing dishes. It is recommended to remove accessories when cooking, especially rings. Using a knife in the kitchen, you can scratch the jewelry, the ring will quickly become dirty, food particles may remain between the rim and the insert. - On the beach, in the sauna, bath, pool and shower. Any woman always wants to look charming. This desire sometimes leads to the fact that girls wear jewelry in completely inappropriate places. For example, to the beach or to the sauna. The impact of water negatively affects the beauty of jewelry. Therefore, in accessories, you should not even take a shower, and in the case of rings, wash your hands. Not to mention swimming in the sea and pool. Water has a particularly bad effect on silver jewelry: they turn black and lose their presentable appearance. High temperatures also do not have the best effect on the appearance of accessories.
And if you add sweat to all this, then at the output we get a faded decoration. In addition, not all stones are “friendly” with the sun: some (for example, aquamarine) fade under its rays. - Before using cosmetics. Jewelry does not tolerate the effects of components that are part of cosmetics and perfumes. Therefore, jewelry should be removed before using cosmetics. Ideally, in the evening, remove all accessories, and then use skin care products, and in the morning put on makeup, spray perfume - then put on accessories. If this recommendation is ignored, your favorite product will quickly lose its dazzling luster, spots will appear on metal and stones. The harmful effect of cosmetics is not immediately noticeable, but with a constant violation of the rules, stains from an accessory dear to the heart will not go away even after professional cleaning.
- Before going to bed. Do not wear jewelry day and night. Give yourself and your accessory a break by taking it off before bed.
According to statistics, most jewelry is broken and lost during a night's rest. Yes, and sleeping in accessories is not always convenient.
Jewelers recommend wiping your jewelry every time you take it off. This allows you to remove dirt, preventing them from eating into the metal. By developing such a habit, you can significantly extend the life of the accessory: it will look like new. You need to wipe gold and silver products with a special cloth made of microfiber. Once a week, jewelry that you wear daily should be cleaned with soapy water. After the procedure, they must be wiped dry. Home care must be complemented by professional care: once every few months it is worth giving your favorite product to a jewelry store for cleaning and polishing.
Effects of jewelry on health during continuous wear
Since ancient times, noble metals have been credited with the ability to improve human health. It was believed that gold restores vigor, is responsible for the functioning of the digestive tract and circulatory system, and fights heart ailments.
Silver can also improve the health of the owner. The metal normalizes the nervous system, has a positive effect on the digestive organs, relieves liver diseases, and controls blood sugar levels. And you can write treatises about the healing properties of precious stones. In a word, there is a lot of benefit from correctly selected jewelry. But only when they are not worn 24 hours a day. If accessories are not removed, they may cause damage.
How does jewelry affect health when worn continuously? Noble metals oxidize over time, which negatively affects the body. Each product with prolonged wear affects health in its own way.
- Ring. Having put an engagement ring on their finger, many do not take it off until the end of their days. However, this is harmful. Medicine knows cases when it was the symbol of fidelity that caused serious health problems. There are many biologically active points on the fingers, regular exposure to which can lead to negative consequences.
For example, if a woman is unable to conceive for a long time, the engagement ring may be the culprit. Especially when it's tight. If the ring is not parted even for a minute, this can provoke gastrointestinal problems, a pressure surge, headache, arrhythmia. For the representatives of the stronger sex, the continuous wearing of the ring can result in a loss of male power. It is enough to send a tight accessory to spend the night on the bedside table - and the former health will not keep you waiting. But it is better, of course, to buy rings by size. - Earrings. No matter what metal the earrings are made of, they must be removed before going to bed. There are many nerve endings on the earlobe. Constant pressure on them can provoke nervousness, headaches and other health troubles.
- Chain. Sleeping in such jewelry is not only accompanied by discomfort, it is also unsafe. The chain can get tangled during sleep and begin to squeeze the neck.
In addition, the constant operation of the accessory leads to the fact that the chain links wear out quickly.
Dermatologists warn that continuous wear of jewelry can trigger allergies. Noble metals are considered hypoallergenic, however, gold and silver accessories contain impurities that can cause an allergic reaction. For example, nickel often acts as a provocateur of unpleasant manifestations. To protect yourself from allergies, it is enough to remove jewelry before going to bed.
Can “non-removable” jewelry change the mood
Jewelry accessories can not only correct a person's health, but also change the emotional background. Gold items cheer up, relieve depression. Metal is responsible for cheerfulness: the owner of the jewelry feels a surge of strength, and fatigue is unfamiliar to him.
Silver, on the contrary, has a calming effect. It absorbs negative energy, so that the mood improves. Silver jewelry helps to overcome irritability and cope with stress.
And if the accessory is encrusted with stone, then it has a huge impact on the emotional state of the owner. Some gems make the owner calmer, others, on the contrary, increase melancholy, and others force them to enter into conflicts. Therefore, jewelry with stones should be chosen especially carefully: it is important to first find out how a particular mineral changes a person’s life.
Since jewelry affects the mood, then accordingly, they must be removed regularly so that there are no emotional excesses. For example, silver, with all its calming effect, can enhance emotions. If you wear a silver accessory without removing it during a period of emotional experiences, then it will only aggravate the situation.
Gold jewelry gives cheerfulness, but when worn for a long time cause causeless anxiety, as a result - insomnia. Gold accessories should not be worn continuously by people who are prone to mood swings: jewelry will make them irritable. If the owner of the accessory is not resistant to stress, then regular wear of gold items can make him aggressive.
Perhaps the influence of metal on the psycho-emotional background of a person provoked the "gold rush" once.
In order for jewelry to change the mood in an exclusively positive way, you need to part with it at least for the night. Remember that accessories are able to absorb emotions - and negative ones as well. Periodically, it is recommended to rinse them under running water to wash away the accumulated energy. After such a ritual, do not forget to thoroughly wipe your favorite accessory: the moisture remaining on the surface can spoil the beauty of the jewelry.
Gold and silver: acceptable tandem or taboo?
Many women of fashion are wondering if it is possible to wear silver and gold at the same time. Previously, this combination was considered bad manners, but today it is a trend. Using a combination of gold and silver jewelry, you can create a bright look, the main thing is that the accessories look harmonious.
But if you move away from fashion trends and focus on the opinion of esotericists, then combining metals is undesirable.
Gold contains the energy of the Sun, and silver is saturated with the energy of the Moon. Metals can conflict with each other, so esotericists do not recommend combining them. It is believed that gold and silver jewelry affects the body in different ways, so when wearing accessories at the same time, a person may feel bad. The conflict of energies, according to esotericists, can provoke emotional burnout, increase nervousness, and cause problems with internal organs.
Actually, the truth is somewhere in the middle. You can wear gold and silver at the same time, but so that such a tandem does not have a negative impact, the neighborhood should be short-lived. Remember three simple guidelines.
- It is better to choose a stylish combination of gold + silver for going out, and not for constant wear.
- Jewelry made of different metals must be removed at night, otherwise you may feel bad in the morning.
- Jewelry made of the same metal should be worn on one hand, otherwise the conflict of energies is inevitable.
If you wear a gold engagement ring, then silver rings and bracelets can only be worn on the other hand.
Of course, jewelry made of different metals should be appropriate and look harmonious. Jewelry megamarket Gold.ua will help you choose stylish accessories made of gold and silver for successful combinations. Here are the current models, with which it is easy to create a trendy look.
Stars who prefer not to shoot
Celebrities love jewelry and always appear in public in new accessories. But some celebrities have favorites among jewelry. They are never separated from them.
- Olivia Wilde. "Thirteenth" from "Dr. House" never takes off her engagement ring and bracelet made of Ef collection gold.
- Julianne Hough. The singer and actress loves large accessories. Her “favorite” is the Aviva Rose ring. The star admitted that she does not take it off even in the gym.
- Gwyneth Paltrow. Hollywood beauty in recent years has not parted with a ring with a huge sapphire. The jewelry was presented to her by Brad Falchuk for her engagement.
- Coco Rocha. The supermodel has repeatedly mentioned how important her wedding and engagement ring is to her. She asked the jeweler to put these two iconic pieces together. Since then, the beauty has not removed them under any circumstances.
- Cameron Diaz. The actress loves to wear a thin gold chain. Cameron parted with her only by creating images for the "red carpet": then diamonds replace the laconic jewelry.
- Katie Holmes. The actress loves her daughter Suri. It is not surprising that the beauty rarely parted with a symbolic jewelry - a gold pendant with the letter S. Holmes found her ideal jewelry in the Jennifer Meyer collection.
Celebrity men also have favorite jewelry that is difficult to part with.
