From around the 6th century, 'Christmas' has traditionally started on 25th December and lasted until 6th January - a day known as Epiphany. This period is known as the Christmas Season, or sometimes Christmastide. And it includes a whole raft of Christian festivals I had never heard of, including St Stephen's Day on December 26th, the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ (!) and a feast for Mary (Jesus's mother) on New Year's Day. Feasting, worship, Christmas cake, carol-singing and other things are supposed to take place over this Christmas Season. And giving gifts (often one for each of the twelve days) was a custom to reflect the Christian story of the wise men bringing gifts for the infant Jesus. There is actually a traditional festive song which we still sing across Europe, which describes (a bit theatrically!) gifts given over the Twelve Days of Christmas. But I wonder how many children know what, or when, the twelve days really are? (I certainly didn't!)
In Christianity, Epiphany is the day when the wise men (or 'Magi') made their visit to the newborn Jesus. And for the Church of England, it marks the end of the traditional Christmas Season. The night before is known as Twelfth Night, which was also a time for extra partying (and is the title of a famous Shakespearean play).
But all this gets confusing, because today's rituals are quite different. In modern day, fairly secular, Britain, for example, the three main festival days are probably Christmas Eve (24th December), Christmas Day (25th) and Boxing Day (26th) - the latter two being public holidays. We don't really recognise Twelfth Night or Epiphany any more, except perhaps as a vague indicator that we should remove Christmas decos before 6th January. (And I think that idea is also corrupted from another Christian festival!)
In 2019, the "Christmas Season" is more likely to reflect Advent - the period leading up to Christmas Day and Boxing Day. I suspect not least because Christmas is mostly about modern retail sales, as people rush out to prepare for the public holidays. But we also have carol-singing and other less commercial activities during Advent as well now. And children's advent calendars do often (misleadingly!) include images from the Twelve Days of Christmas song - although it is rather early.
Some modern UK businesses close down from Christmas Day to 2nd January. But this is also a commercial decision because so many staff will take the period between Christmas and New Year public holidays for annual leave. It tends to be a 'dead time' for a lot of European business!
Anyway, here is a video of the Twelve Days of Christmas song. This was originally a French rhyme from the 18th century, and set to music in 1909. The first present, a partridge, would have been gifted on Christmas day :)
Plus: Lyrics to the Twelve Days of Christmas
* FYI there are many different branches of Christianity, Western and Eastern, and even just within the UK. And many of them celebrate Christmas slightly differently. I've used the most common one in the UK, and the one I know best (though my family is not particularly religious!)
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