Tradition and fire safety are things to consider as you ponder — or put off — taking down your holiday decorations.

Christmas trees often have a star or an angel on top, but at one Arlington home this week, an owl flew down the chimney like a certain jolly old elf and did a little decorating of its own.

Now that the holiday season is wrapping up and a new year is about to begin, what are you supposed to do with your Christmas tree? Let’s say you’ve bought one of the 25 to 30 million real Christmas ...