- Tree goes up
- Commonly cited dates range from 11 December (arrival of the first Yule Lad) to 23 December, depending on the source/family
- Tree comes down
- 6 January (“Þrettándinn” / Thirteenth Day), when the last Yule Lad departs and the season closes, often marked with bonfires
- Local superstition
- The Yule Lads’ comings and goings (arriving one-by-one from 12 December, departing one-by-one until 6 January) function as a distinctive 13-day countdown structure bracketing the whole season, rather than a single bad-luck belief.
Why that date
Iceland’s 13 Yule Lads (“Jólasveinar”) begin arriving one by one from 12 December, and some households treat the arrival of the first Yule Lad as the cue to decorate, while others wait until just before Christmas Eve.
What actually happens
Confidence note: sources conflict on the exact “up” date — some cite 11/12 December (first Yule Lad), others 23 December — flagged here as contested; the 6 January end date and Yule Lad framework are consistently and strongly sourced.
Taking it down again
6 January (“Þrettándinn” / Thirteenth Day), when the last Yule Lad departs and the season closes, often marked with bonfires. The Yule Lads’ comings and goings (arriving one-by-one from 12 December, departing one-by-one until 6 January) function as a distinctive 13-day countdown structure bracketing the whole season, rather than a single bad-luck belief.
If you would rather not have this argument again next year, the calendar reminder on the home page will put both dates straight into your phone.
When the answer is finally yes
The bit you actually need
A short, unsentimental list. We only link to categories worth browsing, not to a hundred near-identical products.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links marked “Browse on Amazon” are paid links — if you buy something after clicking one, this site may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change the dates. See our affiliate disclosure.