Christmas is 12 Days - Not One Day

What if I told you  . . .

·         In the middle ages, Advent lasted for 5 weeks before Christmas and was a period of penance and fasting similar to Lent. 

·         Christmas came at midnight on December 24 with midnight mass called Christ’s Mass or Feast of the Nativity.  

·         The Feast of Christ’s Nativity lasted for 12 days of parties.  It was not customary to give gifts to family and friends.   It was customary for the local lords and dukes to host parties for the villagers and farmers who were expected to provide the food and drink for these parties as gifts to their lordships.   

·         The 12-day festival ended on 12^th night which was the night before the Feast of the Epiphany and was also the biggest party of the season with much foolishness.    

·         The Feast of the Epiphany was originally a more important celebration than the Feast of the Nativity and was a time of gift giving to parallel the gifts of the Magi.  

·         Over the generations, Advent has been neglected while the Christmas season has been pushed to start by early December and even late November.   The gift giving of Epiphany has been moved into Christmas, and the observation of Epiphany has faded away as has Advent.

Let's Bring Back The 12 Days Of Christmas

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