Twelve Days of Christmas

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This article is about the religious period from Christmas to Epiphany. For the popular Christmas song, see The Twelve Days of Christmas (song).

The Twelve Days of Christmas and the associated evenings of those twelve days (Twelve-tide), are the festive days beginning the evening of Christmas Day (December 25) through the morning of Epiphany on (January 6). The associated evenings of the twelve days begin on the evening before the specified day. Thus, the first night of Christmas is December 25–26, and Twelfth Night is January 5–6.

Over the centuries, differing churches and sects of Christianity have changed the actual traditions, time frame, and their interpretations. Currently, the 12 days and nights are celebrated in widely varying ways around the world. For example, some give gifts only on Christmas night, some only on Twelfth Night, and some each of the 12 nights. What remains constant is celebrating the birth of Jesus on December 25th, and a period of twelve days and nights following leading to Epiphany.

A Tortell de Reis
This size, approx. 50 cm diameter, usually serves 8 people.
This pastry is just one of the many types baked around the world for celebrations during the 12 Days of Christmas and Twelfth Night.

[edit] Festival

[edit] Festival origin

The Twelve Days of Christmas as a celebration and festival is old and steeped in traditions from Christian cultures around the world. For many, the idea of the 12 days as a length of celebration is based on a sequence of verses in the Holy Bible (Matthew 2:1-12), and a belief that it may have taken 12 days for the three kings (also called wise men or magi) to travel to Bethlehem after first seeing the star.

Over the centuries, differing churches and sects of Christianity have changed the actual traditions, time frame, and their interpretations.

[edit] Middle Ages

In the Middle Ages this period was one of continuous feasting and merrymaking, which climaxed on Twelfth Night, the traditional end of the Christmas season. Twelfth Night itself was forever solidified in popular culture when William Shakespeare used it as setting for one of his most famous stage plays.

In that time of the twelve days of Christmas, pagan traditions were often combined with the religious roots of the festival (as was the case for all seasonal holidays and feasts). Traditional roles were often relaxed, masters waited on their servants, men were allowed to dress as women, and women as men. Often a Lord of Misrule was chosen to lead the Christmas revels. Some of these traditions were adapted from the older pagan customs, including the Roman Saturnalia. Some also have an echo in modern day pantomime where traditionally authority is mocked and the principal male lead is played by a woman, while the leading older female character, or 'Dame' is played by a man. Often the Dame would be depicted playing sexually explicit roles.

[edit] Colonial America

The original American colonists brought their version of the Twelve Days over from England, and adapted them to their new country, adding their own variations over the years. For example, it is believed by many that the modern day Christmas wreath originated with these colonials. A homemade wreath would be fashioned from local greenery, and if fruits were available, they were added. Making the wreaths was one of the traditions of Christmas Eve, then they would be hung on each home's front door beginning on Christmas night (1st night of Christmas) through Twelfth Night or Epiphany morning. As was already the tradition in their native England, all decorations would be taken down by Epiphany morning, and the remainder of the edibles would be consumed. A special cake was also baked then for Epiphany (which some now call the king cake).

[edit] Modern America

With the onset of more Americanized and secular traditions throughout the past two centuries (such as the American "Santa Claus", popularity of Christmas Eve itself as a holiday, and rise in popularity of New Year's Eve parties as well), the traditions of the Twelve Days of Christmas have been largely forgotten in the U.S. This is also heightened by the commercial practice to have "After-Christmas Sales" begin on December 26th and run usually until New Year's Eve.

However, a small percentage of Christians of many sects have held on to their own favorite ways to celebrate, and those who choose to also have their own church to guide them in a spiritual way of marking this reverent holiday. Americans who celebrate various ways include secular Christians of all backgrounds, religious Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and those of the Amish and Mennonite communities.

Today, some celebrants give gifts each of the twelve days, feast and otherwise celebrate the entire time through to Epiphany morning. Lighting a candle for each day has become a modern tradition in the U.S., and of course, singing the appropriate verses of the famous song each day is also an important and fun part of of the American celebrations.

Some still celebrate Twelfth Night as the biggest night for parties and gift-giving, and some also light a Yule Log on the first night (Christmas), and let it burn some each of the twelve nights. Some Americans also have their own traditional foods to serve each night.

As in olden days, Twelfth Night to Epiphany morning is then the traditional time to take down the Christmas tree and decorations.

[edit] Modern celebrations in the UK

Many in the United Kingdom still celebrate some aspects of the Twelve Days of Christmas, albeit in a more modern way. All of England, as well as many other countries either formerly or currently called 'British Crown Colonies' (such as Canada, Australia) mark Boxing Day as a national holiday, being the first full day of Christmas as the old traditional ways allowed. England, as the original country of so many of the most beloved carols, honours that tried and true tradition of singing carols as well as any nation. Their Victorian-era stories by Charles Dickens (and others), particularly A Christmas Carol, hold key elements of the celebrations which hold up to this day, some of which include the foods such as plum pudding, roasted duck, and wassail. While these foods are consumed more at the beginning of the Twelve Days in the UK, some dine and dance in the traditional way throughout, all the way to Twelfth Night. Some use William Shakespeare's play by that same name (written around 1601) as an inspiration and de facto guide to ending their annual festival celebrations in the older, more traditional ways.

[edit] Modern celebrations in other nations

All countries with Roman Catholics have forms of celebrations for the Twelve Days of Christmas. The most popular remaining tradition in this century throughout the world is the cooking of the traditional foods to celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany. In Latin countries, a tortell is baked: This is a traditional cake originating from the Catalonia region of Spain. The recipe varies from the American-style "king cake", but the meaning is the same.

In Latin America mark the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas and Epiphany as the beginning of another religious-based season which has meshed with secular and pagan celebrations over time: That being "Carnaval" (or "Carnival") season, which concludes, in turn, on Mardi Gras Day.

[edit] References

• Christmas. Catholic Encyclopedia. Retrieved on December 22, 2005. Primarily subhead Popular Merrymaking under Liturgy and Custom.
• Christmas Trivia edited by Jennie Miller Helderman, Mary Caulkins. Gramercy, 2002
• Marix-Evans, Martin. The Twelve Days of Christmas. Peter Pauper Press, 2002
• Bowler, Gerry. The World Encyclopedia of Christmas. McClelland & Stewart, 2004
• Collins, Ace. Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas. Zondervan, 2003
• Wells, Robin Headlam. Shakespeare's Humanism. Cambridge University Press, 2006
• Hoh, John L., Jr. 12 Days of Christmas: A Carol Catechism. Vancouver, BC: Suite 101 eBooks, 2001
• The Twelve Days of Christmas (A Carol Catechism - the website)