What are the 12 Days of Christmas?
This post is part of our Faithfully Asked Questions series, which we debuted last year but will be ramping up in 2025 as part of our digital engagement efforts. In each installment, we’ll provide answers to common questions of faith. Journey along as we explore the meanings behind various holidays or rituals of the church, the histories underlying our favorite hymns, saints, or church leaders, and other common questions about Christian life. When and where we can, we’ll weave in special stories connecting our questions to life right here at St. Stephen.
Have a question you want answered? Have a story to contribute? Email Matt at mcomer@ststephenumc.net.
What are the 12 Days of Christmas?
When you hear “12 Days of Christmas” your mind likely races to an age-old classic song that you either absolutely love or absolutely hate (there seems to be no middle ground). Gifts for every day of Christmas — birds, more birds, some dancing ladies, piping pipers, and some golden rings, among many more!
But what exactly are these 12 days, and why do we today more associate this phrase with a song than in actual holiday observance?
Simply put, the 12 days of Christmas, otherwise known as “Christmastide” are the 12 days starting with Christmas Day through Epiphany, the day when we observe the visit of the Magi. (See our What is Epiphany? for more on that.)
In our modern era, most of us get into the Christmas spirit long before the actual holiday approaches. Many churches, including St. Stephen, still commemorate Advent, the four weeks preceding Christmas, but our wider culture swings full-steam ahead into Christmas music and merriment as soon as Thanksgiving passes.
In pre-modern times, Christmas celebrations were inverted, with Advent more widely commemorated and Christmas merriment beginning on Christmas Day itself. The nearly two weeks which followed were filled with Christmas decor, gift-giving, feasts, and music.
In addition to Christmas Day itself, Christmastide includes a variety of other important religious observances — today mostly commemorated in Catholic (Roman and Eastern) and Anglican/Episcopalian traditions, as well as some other older or liturgical Protestant denominations like Lutherans. Among these are:
- The Feast of St. Stephen (Dec. 26) — Commemorates the life and martyrdom of St. Stephen, one of the first deacons of the church and the first martyr. In some traditions, St. Stephen is known as “Archdeacon” and “Protomartyr” (from the Greek proto for first and martyr for witness). St. Stephen’s appointment as a deacon and his trial, speech, and death are recorded in Acts 6-7.
- Feast of the Holy Innocents (Dec. 28) — Commemorating and remembering the infants killed by King Herod during the Massacre of the Innocents (Matthew 2:16-18).
- Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord / Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus (Jan. 1) — Commemorates the Holy Family’s trip to the temple for Jesus’s dedication and circumcision (Luke 2:21).
Christmastide comes to an end on “Twelfth Night,” or the evening before Epiphany. Watch this recorded Lunch & Learn from the Charlotte Museum of History to learn more about how Christmastide, Twelfth Night, and Epiphany were celebrated in the 18th century, and specifically here in Charlotte.
Many Christians continue to celebrate the full sweep of Christmastide, at least in some small way. Twelfth Night and Epiphany are also celebrated widely. Those living in or from Spanish-speaking countries, for example, celebrate Epiphany with “Three Kings Cake.” In New Orleans, the Mardi Gras season kicks off on Epiphany. And, even here at St. Stephen, you’ll notice that our Christmas decor remains in the sanctuary all the way up until Epiphany.
Celebrating Christmas: Beyond a Single Day
While many of us mindfully and intentionally set aside time to engage in prayer, devotion, and preparation during Advent, we might forget that Christmas itself is more than a single day observance. Here are some ideas for using Christmastide as a continued time of celebration and devotion. Spend some time with some of these ideas over the next few days before Epiphany or save them for new patterns of devotion and prayer for the next Christmas season.
- Set aside time each morning to read and reflect upon the Christmas story (Matthew 1-2, Luke 1-2)
- Commemorate the various minor feasts and observances between Christmas Day and Epiphany (e.g., St. Stephen’s Day, Holy Innocents, etc.) by prayerfully reading or meditating on portions of Scripture where they are mentioned.
- Incorporate traditional Christmastide customs into your celebrations, with some modern twists! Give small gifts or tokens of appreciation to family, friends, or loved ones on each of the 12 Days of Christmas. Volunteer during Christmastide at a local charity or perform other acts of kindness.
- Keep your Christmas decor up at home through Epiphany, avoiding the temptation to clean up your home in too much of a hurry for the new year.
Photo Credit: Sally, via Flickr. Licensed under Creative Commons.