The Obamas already have their tree, but won't flip the lights switch until later this week. Boy and girl Scouts were selling fresh Christmas trees at Bunnings on the weekend. If you went by the timing of supermarkets, your tree would have been up for three months already.

Actually, the rule is, there is no rule. Only the rule you grew up with.

Monash University Professor Gary Bouma, sociologist on religious diversity, says families and individuals abide by the traditions of Christmas that they grew up with as a child at home.

"It really is what you grew up with, but for some of us it is also when you have the time to throw the thing up," Professor Bouma said.

He said the tradition of resisting putting up the tree before December 1 is a strong one in Australia, but not everyone abides by it.

Many Christians will only put up decorations on the night before Christmas Eve and never during Advent, which began on Sunday, November 27 this year.

"Traditionally, for many Christians, Advent is a time of fasting - none of this extra food that we do normally in Australia - and you can't sing Christmas carols," Professor Bouma said.

"But in Australia I've noticed that the partying starts about now," he said.

He said the Christmas tree was essentially unknown in Britain until Prince Albert, a German, brought it to the masses. At the time, periodicals like the Illustrated London News began describing the royal tree in intricate detail. 

 

At the White House, President Barak Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will "flip the switch" on December 1, but took delivery of their huge tree on November 25, giving others the right to start thinking about doing the same. It isn't always on December 1 though, last year it was December 3 - making it the first Thursday in December.

First lady Michelle Obama received the official White House Christmas Tree on November 25. Photo: Alex Brandon

So when should the tree that takes up a lot of space in your lounge room come down?

For some, the tree must come down by January 6 - or the Epiphany when the three kings are said to have arrived. What exactly happens if you don't pull the tree down by then isn't clear. Some say hobgoblins will come to wreck your house for an entire year if you don't pull it down by then.

"There is a large tradition of Christmas trees coming down by the Epiphany, but that is not true in France. In France, it starts a month of celebrations and eating," he said.

The Epiphany heralds the arrival of the gallette de rois - the cake of kings - a pastry and marzipan affair baked in rings.

Professor Bouma said the tradition of pulling down trees in Australia by January 6 might be because of the warmer climate. He said in Europe and America the trees would often stay up well after Christmas, until they dried out and became a fire hazard. He said those trees were heavily hydrated compared to Australian fresh Christmas trees, which grew under drier conditions.

"They are bad enough when they are new and full of juice but they dry out and become tinderbox," he said.

For others it is when they get tired of the cat attacking the tree and pulling off the decorations.

Professor Bouma said the good thing about the great Christmas tree dispute is that it makes for lively conversations.

​"I don't want to complain about Christmas tradition crossing civilisations. People will have disputes about local variations and this enriches conversations and traditions that families find terribly important," Professor Bouma said.