[Monk Dimittis]

Posted after observing that there are those who don't know when the 12 Days of Christmas are. There is much more material, well presented, about the 12 Days and the song of that title at the site.

[Ku Commando]

"Still Christmas"

--Indeed it is !!

[Eala]

Posted after observing that there are those who don't know when the 12 Days of Christmas are.

Right. Saw this (lack of knowledge) in an article posted on FR earlier today. This has been a minor pet peeve for years. Thanks!

[Da_Shrimp]

Contrary to much popular belief, these are not the twelve days before Christmas

Never come across anyone who thinks that! Most folk know that 25th December = first day of Christmas and 6th Jan is 12th day.. after all, that's when Christmas trees are taken down.

[Charles Henrickson]

I have come to realize that there are, in fact, three Christmasses:

1) The church's Christmas, which is the true Christmas and the most important of the three. The Christ Mass is the Festival of the Nativity of Our Lord. It begins (after sunset) on Christmas Eve, December 24, and goes for twelve days, up until the Festival of the Epiphany of Our Lord on January 6.

2) The "folk" Christmas, the customs and traditions that have grown out of the church's Christmas: Santa Claus, gift-giving, Christmas trees, caroling, family get-togethers, etc. The folk Christmas is nice. I like it--as long as it doesn't overshadow the real Christmas.

3) The "pop" Christmas. It is another step removed from the real Christmas. It is a degenerate form of Christmas, a secularized, commercialized "holiday" that is far removed from being a "holy day." It doesn't have anything to do with Christ or his church. The pop Christmas season begins the day after Halloween and ends on December 25. I don't like this Christmas much at all.

[Darnright]

I'm glad you posted this. Although I haven't really found that many individuals who believe the 12 days of Christmas come before the 25th, a person knowing nothing of Christmas would sure get that impression watching television, or looking at advertisements.

By the way, I got a chuckle from your screen name.

[Charles Henrickson]

In Sweden, the Christmas season lasts through January 13! King Canute wanted to keep a good thing going, so he extended the season an additional week.

[cookiedough]

Thank you for posting this. I am going to read the linked discussion of the 12 days of Christmas to my children tomorrow. I told them that this was the second day of Christmas, and that I have related activities planned for each of the 12 days. It puts the reason for Christmas into its proper perspective, to my way of thinking.

[maestro]

[.......but in the Western Church are the twelve days from Christmas until the beginning of Epiphany (January 6th; the 12 days count from December 25th until January 5th)]

What about 'Christmas' days in the Eastern Orthodox Churches?

[potlatch]

What's he doing?? I've been watching him thinking I missed something!! LOL

[Cindy]

"A CHRISTmas Celebration!" (click here)

[ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton]

Hey Monk!

Thanks for the link.

I particularly like the explaination of the what the 12 days stand for, though in my kids homeschool (they are in the Seaton program) they are taught the 3rd day is for the Holy Trinity...

[Salvation]

A happy "Little Christmams" or Epiphany to you!

[Salvation]

Catholic Caucus: The 16 Days of Christmas (Christmas to the Baptism of the Lord)

[Darnright]

Thank you for posting this reminder that we are still in the Christmas season.

Great screenname, btw.

[woofie]

The tree is going down