Traditionally, festive trees are taken down on the Twelfth Night, which marks the end of the Christmas season.
The Twelfth Night falls on either January 5th or January 6th, depending on cultural or religious observances. In some traditions, January 5th is considered the Twelfth Night, making January 6th the Feast of the Epiphany, which commemorates the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus.
But with that being said, some may want to consider taking their festive firs down earlier. That's because there are instances out there of people falling ill due to their trees.
Allergy expert and doctor, Martin Smith shared a video on his TikTok page of a woman warning against something called Christmas Tree syndrome. It can cause allergic reactions – with symptoms such as coughing, wheezing and irritated eyes.
So why does this problem occur? Martin explained: "Many people think that it is due to the fir tree pollen itself, but the pollen is actually too heavy to cause allergies."
These can be triggered by certain types of mould growing on your tree, which can have negative repercussions on your health. This can become an issue for those who have both real and artificial firs up in their homes.
In a separate video, Dr Jen Claudle urged people to take action if they notice allergy symptoms arising. Both Martin and Jen recommend taking your tree outside first to rinse it down with a hose and letting it dry before brining it into your house.
Then to prevent yourself from getting sick, Jen advises taking allergy medication if needed, wearing long-sleeved shirts and washing your clothes after decorating or going near the tree.
And if all else fails, it could be worth taking the tree down altogether. Jen added: "Not so fun, but taking down the tree quickly is certainly going to help minimise your symptoms."
