by Donna Hatch
Happy Twelfth Night!
According to
Wickipedia: Twelfth Night is a festival in some branches of Christianity
marking the coming of the Epiphany. Different traditions mark the date of
Twelfth Night on either 5 January or 6 January; the Church of
England, Mother Church of the Anglican Communion, celebrates Twelfth Night on
the 5th and "refers to the night before Epiphany, the day when the
nativity story tells us that the wise men visited the infant Jesus." In
Western Church traditions, the Twelfth Night concludes the Twelve Days of Christmas; although, in
others, the Twelfth Night can precede the Twelfth Day.
Many observe this as the end of the Christmas Season, and keep their Christmas lights and decorations up until this date. According to some superstitions, one must take down Christmas decorations on this date or risk inviting bad luck.
In London, the Holly Man comes to kick off Twelfth Night Celebrations which include drinking wassail, singing, and generally have a great big party.
Samuel Pepys recorded in his diary in the 1600s that on this date, he filled his house with friends, "extraordinary Musick" and "good fires and candles" on the day.
What, if anything, do you do to celebrate Twelfth Night?
Sources:
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