When is Twelfth Night and when should I take my Christmas tree down?
WITH Christmas officially over for another year, many will be wondering when to take down their festive-themed decorations.
Of course, the decision is down to you when it comes to taking down the tinsel and the tree. However, according to tradition, you should do so on the Twelfth night.
When is the Twelfth night?
There is no definite date for Twelfth Night and different religious traditions follow different dates and times for it.
Different Christian traditions define the date of Twelfth Night as either January 5 or 6, depending in part on how the 12 days of Christmas are calculated.
For many, Christmas Day marks the first day, which would give Twelfth Night its earlier date, while others believe the 12 days of Christmas begin on Boxing Day.
It really all depends on where your counting begins.
What is the meaning of the Twelfth night?
Twelfth Night is a Christian festival that takes place on the last night of the Twelve Days of Christmas, marking the coming of the feast of Epiphany when Christians celebrate the visit to Jesus by the Magi - commonly known as the Three kings, or Wise Men.
Those who take part in the famous tradition believe that it is bad luck to leave your Christmas decorations up past the Twelfth Night.
When should my Christmas decorations come down?
Most people stick to the same date to take down their tree - January 5 or the Twelfth night.
However, many people take down their decorations on the day of the Epiphany (January 6) as they consider that to be the 12th night after Christmas.
Whether you chose to follow tradition, or have your tree back in the loft by Boxing Day - the choice is entirely yours.
What are the Twelve Days Of Christmas?
The twelve days of Christmas are sometimes referred to as Christmastide, covering the entire Christmas period.
With Christmas as the first day, the important celebrations can vary depending on the branch of Christianity and also the customs of different countries.
Although, every one of the 12 days celebrates a different saint, from St John the Apostle on December 27 to the Virgin Mary on January 1.
Christmas Day - the liturgical feast of the Nativity of the Lord
Boxing Day – St Stephen’s Day
December 27 – the Feast of St John
December 28 – the Feast of the Holy Innocents
December 29 – Memorial of St Thomas Becket
December 30 – the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph
New Year’s Eve – the feast of Pope St Sylvester I and is known also as "Silvester"
New Year’s Day – the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
January 2 – the feast of St Basil the Great and Gregory of Nazianzus
January 3 – the Memorial of the Holy Name of Jesus
January 4 – this varies on a regional level, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton is celebrated in the US while St Eugene is celebrated in many countries in Africa
January 5 – The Memorial of St Tatiana
What is epiphany?
As mentioned above, Epiphany - also known as Three Kings' Day - is a Christian feast day which falls on January 6 and has been celebrated in Europe since the fourth century.
It is a special date in the Christian calendar as it's when people celebrate how a star led the Three Wise Men to visit the baby Jesus after he had been born.
The Gospel of Matthew says the three kings followed a star across the desert to Bethlehem, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Epiphany comes from the Greek word meaning '’to reveal’', as it is when the baby Jesus was ''revealed'' to the world.
This is why you might hear people say they've had an epiphany, when they've just realised something.