There is no universal answer for how long Christmas lights should stay up. The right takedown date depends on local climate, HOA rules, neighborhood norms, and whether the homeowner is paying for full service takedown.
The traditional calendar
The most traditional holiday lighting calendar runs from the day after Thanksgiving through January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. This calendar reflects the traditional Christian liturgical calendar, with Christmas lasting from December 25 through January 5, ending with the celebration of Epiphany on January 6.
Many homeowners follow this calendar without thinking about it consciously. Lights go up the weekend after Thanksgiving, run through the New Year, and come down the first week of January. This works well in most regions and aligns with the install crew takedown schedule across the Lighting Partners franchise network.
Climate based timing
Climate considerations often extend the lights stay up window beyond the traditional calendar. In cold climates with reliable snow cover, holiday lights running through January and into February can actually look better than the bare landscape they replace. The lights add color and warmth to the dark winter evenings, and there is no aesthetic reason to take them down early.
Northern markets including the Twin Cities, Michigan, the Boston area, and Northeast Ohio often see takedown extend into late January or early February. The MN Lighting Squad crew schedules takedowns through the first half of February in some years, with no homeowner complaints about lights staying up too long.
Mild climates flip the equation. Phoenix and the Southeast have shorter dark evening windows in winter, and the holiday lighting context is more clearly tied to the December holiday season. Most Phoenix Lighting Partners customers prefer takedown by mid January at the latest.
HOA rules
Many HOAs have specific holiday lighting timing rules. The rules typically require lights to be up no earlier than mid November and taken down no later than mid January. Some HOAs are more restrictive, requiring takedown by January 7 or earlier. A few are more permissive, allowing lights to stay up through Valentines Day in some communities.
HOA timing rules are a normal part of the quote conversation. The franchise crew reviews the HOA rules at the property review and schedules install and takedown to comply. If a homeowner wants lights up longer than the HOA allows, the franchise crew explains the timing constraint and works within it.
Permanent outdoor lighting changes the calendar
The takedown question goes away for homeowners with permanent outdoor lighting. The system stays installed year round and runs whatever color program the homeowner selects from the app. Christmas colors run through the holiday season, then the system switches to a soft warm white for January and February evening curb appeal, then to whatever pattern the homeowner wants for Valentines, Saint Patricks, and the rest of the year.
Many permanent outdoor lighting customers describe this as the freedom they did not know they wanted. No more debate about when to take the lights down. No more compromise between aesthetic preference and HOA rule. The lights are always there, and the program changes with the season or the event.
Neighborhood norms
Neighborhood norms influence many homeowners more than they realize. In a neighborhood where most homes take their lights down by January 7, leaving lights up through February reads as a holdout choice. In a neighborhood where many homes run lights through Valentines Day, the social pressure flips.
The Lighting Partners franchise crew has installed across enough properties in each neighborhood to know the local norm. Most franchise customers schedule takedown to align with the neighborhood pattern, which avoids any social friction and lets the homeowner enjoy the lights without thinking about it.
What full service takedown actually covers
Full service takedown means the crew arrives on the scheduled date, removes every strand from the roofline and trees, coils and labels the wiring by section, packs the system into labeled bins, and stores it indoors at the franchise warehouse until next year. The homeowner does not climb a ladder, does not find closet space for boxes of lights, and does not start the entire process over the next year.
The takedown crew also leaves the property clean. No clips on the gutter, no extension cords coiled in the yard, no broken bulbs left behind. The property looks the same the day after takedown as it did before the season started.
What to ask for in the quote conversation
The quote conversation is the right time to lock in the takedown date preference. Most franchises offer a range of date options based on capacity, with the homeowner able to request a specific takedown window based on travel plans or personal preference. The franchise crew also handles any HOA coordination required.
If the homeowner is on the fence between holiday lighting and permanent outdoor lighting, the takedown question often tips the decision. Permanent outdoor lighting eliminates the recurring takedown debate and gives the homeowner year round programming flexibility. Holiday lighting preserves the traditional seasonal cycle and the visual impact of a clear holiday window.
The bottom line
Most homeowners run lights from Thanksgiving through the first or second week of January. Cold climate properties often extend through late January or early February. HOA rules and neighborhood norms shape the specific takedown date. Permanent outdoor lighting eliminates the question entirely. Whichever path you choose, the franchise crew handles the schedule, the takedown, and the storage as part of the standard install program.