Couple from Edinburgh, Scotland are keeping their Christmas tree up all year

Meet Pat Drummond, a spirited 86-year-old who kicks off the festive season with a bang. Every December, she dispatches her sons to snag the perfect tree for their Edinburgh abode. With eager hands, they erect it at their front door, bedecked with 500 twinkling fairy lights that captivate onlookers each evening.

Typically, tradition dictates that the tree must come down by Twelfth Night. However, Pat couldn't bear to part with her luminous creation this year. Instead, she's made it her nightly ritual to illuminate the streets of her Edinburgh suburb with its cheerful glow.

According to her son Jon, aged 61, superstition doesn't hold sway in their household. They're all for breaking the rules and keeping the festive spirit alive past Twelfth Night. After all, why limit the joy?

For those unfamiliar, Twelfth Night falls on either January 5th or 6th, depending on where you start counting from. It's widely believed that keeping decorations up past this date invites misfortune.

Pictured above: Jon & Pat Dummond

But for Jon, a retired dentist, and his family, the decision is about more than superstition. "It takes years to nurture a tree to this stature. It feels wrong to chop it down prematurely," he reflects. "And in this era of environmental consciousness, why not extend its lifespan?"

So, if you find yourself wandering the streets of Edinburgh and happen upon a majestic 8-foot beacon of holiday cheer, know that the Drummonds are spreading the joy for as long as they can.