12 Days

[rareboy]

We generally have always celebrated the 12 days.

The tree went up on the 16th because it coincided with some birthdays and then after I moved out of my parents' home, started to organize Christmas celebrations and dinners etc. between the 24th and Epiphany.

There were years where we gave a dinner party every 2 days during this season for different friends and family although this has tapered off considerably. This year we will only have 2 big dinners and then spend the rest just on our own.

This year our 12th night meal will end with Pieroggies, cabbage rolls, ham and kielbassa with kale.

Do you do the 12 days?

 

[unloadonme]

No. Christmas is done for another year.

 

[NotHardUp1]

Yes, but singularly amongst the family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers.

I'm not really celebrating this year. No tree. No dinners. No parties.

 

[belamyi]

 

[Rickrock]

No, we never did the twelve days. We just did Christmas and New Years.

 

[me203]

In my family, Christmas was a one day thing.

Oddly, perhaps, I was not even really aware of the 12 days of Christmas until a few years ago. Then, someone who was once a Lutheran pastor told me. That year was probably a difficult one for Christmas depression, and I think he was trying to give me some hope for Christmas... Unfortunately, I was just left feeling worse. "12 days of lonely, isolated misery? Great!!!!" And, of course, he was probably thinking "religious tradition" here, not the modern view of Christmas "1 day--after a month of shopping and half your annual salary!


I guess this is one of those areas where Christmas shows it's split nature betewee religious and secular sides. Some churches might do 12 days of Christmas. But the secular world is pretty much 1 day and done.

 

[ShadowCat]

No we do St Nicholas Day Christmas Eve & Day New Years Eve & Day and Epiphany. Wasnt aware this was a thing

 

[rareboy]

Well Epiphany is the Twelth Night so you are in fact kind of celebrating it.

 

[belamyi]

 

[me203]

Well Epiphany is the Twelth Night so you are in fact kind of celebrating it.

So all one has to do from there is add the days in between!

 

[rareboy]

This.

We don't do it any more, but for a number of years, my partner and I gave one another a gift on each of the 12 days...sometimes just a little joke present and sometimes something special. It used to be a lot of fun.

And Epiphany, we would always have a dinner with friends to finish off the season, but after the COVID years, that has gone by the wayside.

 

[Alistair]

Nothing more than Christmas Eve with my father’s family and then Christmas Day with my mother’s family. My parents were in bed by 10pm New Year’s Eve and the only thing we did traditionally for New Year’s Day was pork roast and sauerkraut for dinner. We didn’t go to church on Christmas unless it fell on a Sunday.

 

[belamyi]

Oh, yes, like I have said some time before, family celebrations on Christmas Eve, Day, NYE and Twelfth Night and Epiphany were the only occasions I ever regularly drank alcohol.
Damn, now I am feeling like I miss the taste of cava

What is this stupid command involving "".... ARGH!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Vannie]

No 12 days here.

Do enjoy New Years eve with my Honey though.

 

[me203]

We didn’t go to church on Christmas unless it fell on a Sunday.

And for some, Christmas on a Sunday can reduce the chances of showing up in church.

I remember reading an article discussing this one year when Christmas landed on Sunday. Some churches were even wondering if it was worth opening up for business that Sunday. Then, of course, the article writers found some conservatives to quote who were shocked and appalled to hear that a church might not have a full house on a Sunday Christmas.

 

[belamyi]

No 12 days here.

Fucking cabbage pagan.

 

[belamyi]

Still 10 more fucking days to go... 11 in my particular case, until January 10.

Luckily, next Tuesday I will begin to enjoy some normality already...

 

[cityboy-stl]

Twelfth Night is Jan 6.

But....Christmas isn't over until Mardi Gras!