The last day and night of Christmas is upon us. The evening is traditionally spent removing Christmas decorations, After this, the long and barren winter begins.
There are only a little more than seventy days until Spring, although for observant Christians the forty days of Lent are (sometimes only mostly) among them. It's a time of difficulty and discomfort, but also purification.
But one last pleasant day first. We are having a lasagna I made yesterday as a last feast, although I'm 'fasting' a bit already, having decided to do the Dry January thing this year. I did a dry April last year in preparation for a Strongman tournament and was happy with the experience, so I've decided to include it as an occasional thing.
UPDATE: My youthful participation in Christmas pageants had convinced me that all the events happened at once, the Wise Men and the angels and the shepherds all at once. But if this is the day for the Wise Men, it’s probably the day for this carol too.
So I was trying to explain to someone why the 12 days of Christmas have 13 days in them and it's interesting.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the All-Knowing Wikipedia:
'The Twelve Days of Christmas, also known as Twelvetide, is a festive Christian season celebrating the Nativity of Jesus. In some Western ecclesiastical traditions, "Christmas Day" is considered the "First Day of Christmas" and the Twelve Days are 25 December to 5 January, inclusive, with 6 January being a "thirteenth day" in some traditions and languages. However, 6 January is sometimes considered Twelfth Day/Twelfth Night with the Twelve Days "of" Christmas actually after Christmas Day from 26 December to 6 January. For many Christian denominations—for example, the Anglican Communion and Lutheran Church—the Twelve Days are identical to Christmastide, but for others, e.g. the Roman Catholic Church, Christmastide lasts longer than the Twelve Days of Christmas.'
So, what is Christmastide, exactly?
'Christmastide is a season of the liturgical year in most Christian churches. In some, Christmastide is identical to Twelvetide.
'For the Catholic Church, Lutheran Church, Anglican Church and Methodist Church, Christmastide begins on 24 December at sunset or Vespers, which is liturgically the beginning of Christmas Eve. Most of 24 December is thus not part of Christmastide, but of Advent, the season in the Church Year that precedes Christmastide. In many liturgical calendars, Christmastide is followed at sunset on 5 January, known as Twelfth Night, by the closely related season of Epiphanytide.
'There are several celebrations within Christmastide, including Christmas Day (25 December), St. Stephen's Day (26 December), Childermas (28 December), New Year's Eve (31 December), the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ or the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (1 January), and the Feast of the Holy Family (date varies). The Twelve Days of Christmas terminate with Epiphany Eve or Twelfth Night (the evening of 5 January).'
So, Christmastide is 13 days, while Twelvetide is 12 days, but some include Epiphany in it for a 13th. And I don't want to get into the Orthodox split between the Gregorian and Julian calendars.
Yes, the numbers are confused even before we add in additional confusion.
ReplyDelete"Three great wonders fell on this day/ A star shone down where an infant lay./ Water made wine in Galilee/ and Christ baptized in Jordan."
ReplyDeleteWhen I was much younger, one year I just could not figure out how Jesus could be born on December 25 and be an adult by January 7, let alone spend three years preaching between January and Easter. The problem bothered me greatly for several months. :)
LittleRed1