SUPERSTITIOUS? Not Dartmouth.

The town has been almost a week late taking down its Christmas decorations.

The festive ornaments should be removed on the Twelfth Night, according to tradition.

A day sooner or later is considered unlucky, and if not removed on Twelfth Night, then they should stay up all year!

But strings of lights in the town’s main streets and the Christmas tree in Royal Avenue Gardens have hung around until this week.

Contractors using cherry pickers were in the town on Tuesday taking down the overhead decorations and town clerk Tracy Rowe said the tree should be removed and chopped by Friday.

January 5 is observed as the last day of Christmas festivities – the eve of the Epiphany.

In the past it was believed that tree spirits lived in the greenery – such as holly and ivy – that people used to decorate their homes.

While the festive season provided shelter for these spirits during the winter, they needed to be released outside once Christmas was over.

Shops in the town have not been so slow – many are already selling Easter eggs!