by Two Chums on January 5, 2024
For many Christians tonight marks the celebration of Twelfth Night, or the end of the Christmas Season.
Twelfth Night
Twelfth Night is a holiday that falls on the Eve of Epiphany and is celebrated either on January 5th or January 6th- depending on whether the observer starts counting 12-days from Christmas Day or on December 26th. It marks the 12th day of Christmas and marks the coming of Epiphany – a feast day the marks the revelation of God Incarnate as Jesus Christ. It’s a holiday marked by a number of customs and traditions.
The History Of Twelfth Night
Twelfth Night can be traced back to the Council of Tours during the 6th century. By proclamation, the 12 days from Christmas to Epiphany were established as not only a sacred season but also one that’s quite festive as well. It also established the duty of fasting in preparation for the coming feast. During the Middle Ages, Candlemas generally marked the end of the Christmas season. Twelfth Night would traditionally mark the end of Christmastide and mark the beginning of the Epiphany Season- a that ended on Candlemas.
Traditions Of Twelfth Night
The traditions of Twelfth Night can vary from one locality or church to another. Even the day on which it’s celebrated can change from one place to another. By many popular definitions, Twelfth Night begins on the Eve of Epiphany- which would place it on January 5th. However, there’s another definition that places it on the evening of Epiphany- which would place it on January 6th.
During this holiday, food and drink often is the forefront of celebrations. People eat many traditional Christmas foods during this time and enjoy a punch known a wassail. Up until the 1950’s, door to door caroling was common, but not so much nowadays. A variety of pastries are also consumed during this time and these include King’s Cake- otherwise known as Tortilla de Reis.
According to tradition, King’s Cake is baked with a “bean” and a “king figurine.” Whomsoever receives the king figurine will be crowned “king” for the day and whomever receives the bean will have to provide the cake the following year. In some instances, there is also a pea baked into the cake. Whomsoever finds the pea becomes the “queen” for the night. Sometimes, there’s no king figurine but instead, there’s only a bean and a pea baked into the cake. In these instances, the person who finds the bean is the king and the one who finds the pea is the queen.
Thank you HolidaysCalendar.com for that helpful info. In the end, whether we celebrate Twelfth Night tonight, tomorrow, or choose not to celebrate it at all, our prayer for each of us is that the spirit of Christmas, and the greatest gift of all, the Christ child, Jesus, will bring hope and peace and love and joy into our hearts and our homes throughout this coming year.
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