I’ve been seeing lots of posts recently about that great glory, the Twelve Days of Christmas. I’ve also seen that people are posting now great blogs about the twelve days of Christmas when in fact, they should probably be entitled…Twelve Days before Christmas. Because, uhm, the twelve days of Christmas in the song began on December 26th.
In the middle ages, Christmas Day was a holy day not a feast day. On the day of Christ’s birth, people prayed and meditated. Sometimes people fasted that day or at least didn’t eat meat. The festivities began on the Feast of Saint Stephen the 26th of December and went through to the 6th of January – Epiphany. Epiphany was the day the three Magi came to give gifts to baby Jesus as the story goes. 12 Days of feasting…based upon many old pagan festivals which the church defused by integrating them into the great Christmas festivities.
Times of course have changed…many things have been forgotten and not only the old pagan festivals. Even in America, until around the late 1800s Christmas celebrations were discouraged believe it or not and for many was not considered a holiday at all.
Just thought you’d like to know 😉 and now…for a musical interlude!
And do you have something to share about this wonderful season. Perhaps you know something about the “old” religions and their festivities? I’m a sponge for new knowledge and love to learn more!
Have a nice day…I’m off to put up the Christmas tree!