Besides being an annoying Christmas carol, the twelve days of Christmas are actually a period of time called “Twelvetide”. They are the twelve days that begin on December 25 and end on January 6, also known as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. Traditionally, this is the date that the three kings from the East arrived in Bethlehem to worship the Baby Jesus.

Historically, the Christmas season didn’t begin until Christmas Day. Twelvetide was the time when families visited each other, when gifts were exchanged, and when people went Christmas caroling. It was also vitally important (for good luck) that the Christmas Yule log, the big log that would burn in the fireplaces during this season, would last for at least twelve days. Although I think that had more to do with staying warm than worrying about luck. The idea of twelvetide really came into its own when King Alfred the Great of England (849-899) mandated that everyone observe these twelve days. He outlawed all legal proceedings, all work, and all fighting. Then, in the middle of the tenth century, King Haakon the Good of Norway decided that his subjects would also observe twelvetide by not working or fighting. I guess fighting was an issue back then.

During the middle ages, there are records of the landed gentry giving their peasants and merchants time off between Christmas and the Epiphany, and the lords also provided a two-week long feast. I can’t help but wonder if this was a way to keep people warm and fed in the middle of winter so they’d be alive for the fall plantings. Anyway, the idea took hold and suddenly, King Richard II of England (1267-1400) started planning tournaments for all the knights of Europe. He hosted two weeks of tournaments, feasts, and dance parties that included masquerades and poetry readings. One of my favorite descriptions of this medieval Christmas time is in the story Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Once the Renaissance came on board, twelvetide became a thing that only country people observed. The people of the city were too sophisticated to take off two weeks of work. Yet, although they didn’t shut down stores, or prisons, or courts, people still attended Epiphany balls and masquerades. Eventually, in the United States, these two weeks became a popular time for weddings. Now, of course, we only know about the Christmas carol. Everyone goes back to work right after Christmas, with maybe some time off at New Year’s. But every year I wonder what it would be like if, for twelve days, the world slowed down so we could spend time with family and friends. There would be feasts, dancing, and caroling. There would be ice skating and napping and dreaming. And sometimes I think the world needs a bit more of those things, especially the dreaming.



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