what is the history of the 12 days of christmas?
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The 12 days of Christmas is the period that in Christian theology marks the span between the birth of Christ and the coming of the Magi, the three wise men. It begins on December 25 (Christmas) and runs through January 6 (the Epiphany, sometimes also called Three Kings' Day).
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Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce of 1914. German and British troops celebrating Christmas together during a temporary cessation of WWI hostilities known as the Christmas Truce.
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However, some mark 6th January as Twelfth Night, counting the 12 days after Christmas Day, which is where the confusion stems from. 'Twelfth Night is the night before Epiphany and is the night, tradition says, when Christmas decorations should be taken down,' a Church of England spokesperson told The Telegraph.
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5 January 2020 United Kingdom Holidays & Popular Observances 5 January was the 12th and last day of the Christmas Season (Twelvetide).
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A count of exactly 12 days from 25 December arrives at 5 January. According to the Church of England, Twelfth Night is 5 January, and the day of Epiphany – when the three wise men came – is 6 January.
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The 12 Days of Christmas start on Christmas Day and last until the evening of the 5th January - also known as Twelfth Night. The 12 Days have been celebrated in Europe since before the middle ages and were a time of celebration.
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In the UK, typically decorations stay up until Twelfth Night. Twelfth Night is a festival celebrated in some branches of Christianity which begins 12 days from December 25. It marks the beginning of Epiphany which is often thought to be on January 5.
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The name Christmas means Christ-feast and is of English origin.
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Twelfth Night is a festival in some branches of Christianity which marks the beginning of Epiphany. A count of exactly 12 days from 25 December arrives at 5 January. According to the Church of England, this day is Twelfth Night. The day of Epiphany – when the three wise men came – is the day after, on 6 January.
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The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine (he was the first Christian Roman Emperor). But it was not an official Roman state festival at this time.
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Many Orthodox Christians annually celebrate Christmas Day on or near January 7 to remember Jesus Christ's birth, described in the Christian Bible. This date works to the Julian calendar that pre-dates the Gregorian calendar, which is commonly observed.
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Dec. 25 is not the date mentioned in the Bible as the day of Jesus's birth; the Bible is actually silent on the day or the time of year when Mary was said to have given birth to him in Bethlehem. The earliest Christians did not celebrate his birth. ... 25 became known as Jesus's birthday.
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Advent is the period of four Sundays and weeks before Christmas (or sometimes from the 1st December to Christmas Day!). Advent means 'Coming' in Latin. This is the coming of Jesus into the world. Christians use the four Sundays and weeks of Advent to prepare and remember the real meaning of Christmas.
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January 5 is observed as the last day of Christmas festivities (the eve of the Epiphany). In the past it was believed that tree-spirits lived in the greenery – such as holly and ivy – that people used to decorate their homes.
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1870 – The Christian holiday of Christmas is declared a federal holiday in the United States.
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It starts on Christmas Day, December 25, and ends on January 5 of the following year, known as Twelfth Night or Epiphany Eve. It is a period of celebration, feasting and Saints' Days.
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['Epiphany.', 'Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.', "All Saints' Day.", 'Inmaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.', 'Christmas.', "St. Patrick's Day."]