- Tree goes up
- 24 December (“Noaptea de Ajun” / Christmas Eve night)
- Tree comes down
- 7 January (St John’s Day), which closes the extended Romanian festive season that begins around Ignat Day (20 December)
- Local superstition
- No prominent distinct bad-luck belief documented beyond the general Eastern/Central European Epiphany-adjacent close.
Why that date
Romanian custom concentrates the tree-decorating and gift-giving ritual on Christmas Eve, with the season formally framed by Ignat Day (20 December, traditional pig-slaughter day) at one end.
What actually happens
Moș Nicolae (St Nicholas, 6 December) is a separate, earlier children’s gift-giving day, distinct from Moș Crăciun (Romanian Santa), who visits on Christmas Eve itself.
Taking it down again
7 January (St John’s Day), which closes the extended Romanian festive season that begins around Ignat Day (20 December). No prominent distinct bad-luck belief documented beyond the general Eastern/Central European Epiphany-adjacent close.
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.
Sources
When the answer is finally yes
The bit you actually need
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