Why You’re Celebrating Christmas All Wrong
(ANALYSIS) There are many ways to celebrate the end of the Christmas season, but the way I’ve most often seen people celebrate is by not celebrating.
During this time of year, my social media is crammed with jokes regarding the ennui — or lethargy — and confusion that seem to follow Dec. 25. This time is spent by many removing their Christmas ornaments, finishing Christmas leftovers and speculating about New Year’s resolutions.
The other day, as I went outside to collect the mail, I ran into my neighbor who stated outright, “I hate this time of year.” For him, it was a time when the joy seemed to drain out of the world, at least until New Year’s Day came along. Then it was time to get back to the office.
You may be familiar with the irritating Christmas classic, “The 12 Days of Christmas,” but were you aware of the history behind this carol? The “12 Days of Christmas” refers to Christmastide, the liturgical season when Christmas is celebrated.
The celebrations begin Christmas Day on Dec. 25 and proceed through the New Year until Jan. 5, or Twelfth Night. Then the next season, Epiphanytide, begins on Jan. 6 and proceeds through the beginning of February.
Growing up, I never quite knew what to do with myself during this season — whether I should take off time to rest or book myself for the week to stay mentally busy. I wish I’d known the history behind the 12 Days of Christmas and the intention and meaning of Twelfth Night.
But to learn that, I needed to start with learning about the whole Christmas season.
When does Christmas actually happen?
“But what about all of the days leading up to Christmas? Isn’t that the Christmas season?”
Well, yes and no, I suppose. In the United States, Christmas officially begins on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, and continues through the month of December until Christmas Eve, the 24th.
After the 25th, a few people will briefly mention Boxing Day on the 26th (made somewhat irrelevant by most Americans’ lack of servants), then wander through the rest of December like a ghost haunting a derelict house.
It seems like we may be celebrating Christmas incorrectly. For instance, the time leading up to Christmas Day is Advent, which in most Christian denominations is the time leading up to the celebration of the birth of Jesus (whether or not Jesus was actually born on Dec. 25 is a topic for another time). Christmastide is then to proceed from Dec. 25 to Jan. 5, followed by Epiphany on Jan. 6.
Epiphany commemorates many events, most notably the visit of the three Magi to Jesus after his birth. In many other cultures, Jan. 6 is an important part of the Christmas season. For instance, in Italy Christmas celebrations begin on Dec. 8 (with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception) and end on Jan. 6 with Epiphany.
In Spain, Christmas celebrations continue until Jan. 6, or “Three Kings Day,” when children open the presents they received from Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar.
Even in the United States, Epiphany is occasionally celebrated, like in Puerto Rico, where children will fill a box with grass or hay the night before as an offering to the Three Wise Men’s horses.
Traditionally, the celebrations should continue into the new year. Depending on where you live and your cultural background, you may already celebrate on Jan. 5 and 6.
But what exactly is Twelfth Night?
Most people are familiar with the term “Twelfth Night” as the title of Shakespeare’s play about a shipwrecked woman who disguises herself as a man, and the chaos that follows. It’s unclear whether this play was written as a tribute to the holiday of Twelfth Night, but it has kept the term in use for a while longer.
On Twelfth Night, celebrators are encouraged to gather with loved ones, eat King Cake, or go wassailing — a unique custom with a rich history that involves traipsing an apple orchard and drinking to its (and your own) health.
The practice of wassailing is still done in some parts of the United Kingdom, and it seems like quite a bit of fun (and the perfect activity in an area known for its apple orchards).
There are other customs you can engage in on Twelfth Night, but the one I find the most compelling is the exchanging of Christmas gifts.
As much as I love celebrating Dec. 25, the logician in me is very compelled by the idea of exchanging gifts in preparation for Three Kings Day. After all, wouldn’t it make the most sense to give people presents on the day that the Three Wise Men gifted gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus?
How to start your own Twelfth Night tradition
Although I don’t have the power to single-handedly change our culture so that Jan. 6 is declared an official holiday and that the majority of gift-giving shifts to this time of year, I want to at least share the idea with those who may be open to it.
I love the Christmas season, and I’m always a little sad to see it go. So, I think a formal goodbye would make the parting easier. A Twelfth Night celebration, complete with warm drinks and loved ones, would be a beautiful way to bookend the most wonderful time of the year.
As Twelfth Night will fall on a Monday and Epiphany on Tuesday this year, you may be unwilling to throw a party the first night of a work week to celebrate the end of the season. But with a little preparation, a bit of King’s Cake and a taste of the interesting wassailing drink combination, you might begin a new tradition that will give your new year that much more meaning.
This article was originally published at FaVS News.
Alexandra Fil is a reluctant Bay Area resident with strong ties to the Palouse. A recent graduate from the Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University, she holds a master's in communication, having studied how Hallmark movies can teach American audiences about environmentalism. She also holds a Master of Science in accountancy from San Jose State University, and a Bachelor of Science and bachelor’s in biology and anthropology from University of California San Diego. Her interdisciplinary research focuses on media literacy and science communication, with an emphasis on entertainment education, although in another life, she dreams of earning a doctorate by studying all things Christmas. On a personal note, her experience as a caretaker, first to her mother, then younger sister, and then Yaiyai, has profoundly impacted her life and perspectives on society and the human experience. Although raised Greek Orthodox, she personally identifies as a secular humanist.