TWELFTH NIGHT
When are the
12 days of Christmas, what does each day of Twelvetide mean and when does it
start?
The
12 days of Christmas, also known as Twelvetide, is a Christian festival that
celebrates the Nativity of Jesus Christ
14 Nov 2018, 14:45
Updated: 14
Nov 2018, 16:10
WE all know the famous 12 days of Christmas song, even if we
regularly mix up what happens on the tenth and fourth days.
But when are the actual 12 days of Christmas? Here's when
they start and end, and the meaning behind them.
When are the 12 days of Christmas
and when does it start and end?
The 12 days of Christmas, also known as Twelvetide, is a
Christian celebration of the Nativity of Jesus Christ.
Twelvetide officially starts on Christmas Day on December 25
and finishes on January 5, inclusively.
During these twelve days, there are both religious and
secular celebrations.
It is also known by some as Christmastide.
The first day celebrates the birth
of Jesus.
What does each day of Twelvetide
mean?
Each day of Twelvetide has a different meaning:
· The first day of
Twelvetide, is Christmas Day and is about celebrating the birth of Jesus
Christ.
· The second day of
Christmas is Boxing Day and is also known as St Stephen’s Day in countries
outside of the UK – it is the day of the Christian martyr St Stephen.
· The third day of
Christmas celebrates St John the Apostle, who wrote the Book of Revelation.
· The fourth day of
Christmas is the Feast Of The Holy Innocents - the day when people remember all
of the baby boys who were killed by King Herod in his search to kill the Baby
Jesus.
· The fifth day of
Christmas is remembering St Thomas Becket - he was the Archbishop of Canterbury
in the 12th Century and was killed on December 29, 1170, for challenging the
King’s authority over the church.
· The sixth day of
Christmas remembers St Egwin of Worcester, who died on December 30, 717, he was
known as the protector of orphans and the widowed.
· The seventh day of
Christmas (New Year’s Eve) celebrates Pope Sylvester I. In some eastern
European countries New Year’s Eve is still known as Silvester.
· The eighth day of
Christmas (New Year’s Day) celebrates Mary the Mother of Jesus.
· The ninth day of
Christmas honours St Basil the Great and St Gregory Nazianzen - two important
fourth century Christians.
· The tenth day of
Christmas is the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus – this marks the day Jesus was
named in the Jewish Temple.
· The eleventh day of
Christmas celebrates the Feast of Saint Simeon Stylites who spent 37 years
living on a small platform on top of a pillar in Aleppo.
· The twelfth day of
Christmas, January 5, is also known as Epiphany Eve – it’s the day before
January 6 which is known as the Epiphany.
