FAQs
Christians who celebrate the Twelve Days may give gifts on each of them, with each of the Twelve Days representing a wish for a corresponding month of the new year. They may feast on traditional foods and otherwise celebrate the entire time through the morning of the Solemnity of Epiphany.
How do people celebrate the 12 days of Christmas? ›
Some families choose to mark the 12-day period by observing the feast days of various saints (including St. Stephen on December 26) and planning daily Christmas-related activities, but for many, things go back to business as usual after December 25.
How do you do the 12 days of Christmas with the family? ›
12 Ways to Celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas
- Make a Piñata. Piñatas are a traditional Mexican celebration of the advent season. ...
- Find the Christmas Pickle. ...
- Bake a Fruitcake. ...
- Create mini Christmas row houses. ...
- Bake Mince Pies. ...
- Bake a themed Gingerbread House. ...
- Play Christmas-themed trivia. ...
- Book Exchange.
How to do 12 days of Christmas at work? ›
For the 12 days of Christmas at work, consider a different festive activity each day. This can include themed dress-up days, a Secret Santa gift exchange, a holiday trivia quiz, crafting sessions, caroling, a charity drive, and culminate in a big holiday party or luncheon on the final day.
How to do a 12 days of Christmas campaign? ›
What is the 12 Days of Christmas marketing strategy? A 12 Days of Christmas marketing strategy is a marketing campaign where you reveal a new deal or piece of content every day for 12 days. Businesses use this strategy to engage their target audience, drive sales, and build brand awareness during the holiday season.
What are the official 12 days of Christmas? ›
The “12 Days of Christmas” is a concept of Christian theology that describes the time period from Christ's birth to the arrival of the three wise men, also called the magi. It starts on Christmas Day, December 25 and is celebrated till January 6, the day before Epiphany.
How many things are in the 12 days of Christmas? ›
There are a total of 364 gifts: Day 1: 1 gift, Day 2: 3 gifts, Day 3: 6 gifts… Each day “true love” gives the gifts of the current day PLUS all the gifts of the previous days as well. Day 1: A partridge in a pear tree.
What is a fun fact about the 12 days of Christmas? ›
The Twelve Days carol was once a popular party game in the 1700-1800s where making a mistake in the lyrics meant you would have to give up a small token, sweet, or perhaps even a kiss!
What do the 12 gifts of Christmas represent? ›
Per this theory, each gift on the list symbolizes a different aspect of the Christian faith: The Partridge in the Pear Tree is Jesus Christ. The 2 Turtle Doves are The Old and New Testaments. The 3 French hens are Faith, Hope and Charity, the theological virtues.
How does the 12 days of Christmas gifts work? ›
One idea is that the 12 days represent the time it takes for Christmas to fall on the same day each year, as well as the time it takes for Jesus to be born. Another theory is that the 12 gifts are meant to represent Jesus and his 12 apostles. Another theory is that the 12 days represent the 12 months of the year.
Each day represents a new gift, starting with 'a partridge in a pear tree' and ending with 'twelve drummers drumming'. It's a traditional English tune dating back to the 1700s, which some historians actually believe to have French origins.
What should people do on the 12 days of Christmas? ›
The actual 12 days of Christmas span between Christmas Day and Epiphany (January 6), which historically were often a period of rest, feasting, gathering with loved ones, and general merrymaking.
What is the 12 days of Christmas rule? ›
The original twelve days of Christmas were a series of religious feast days celebrated as part of the Roman Catholic religion in medieval and Tudor England. Starting on Christmas Day, there were 12 days of religious celebrations, feasting and entertainments that lasted all the way up to 5 January.
How do you introduce 12 days of Christmas? ›
Celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas with Your Family
- Play "Name that Christmas Carol." ...
- Sing "The 12 Days of Christmas." ...
- Open your Christmas gifts throughout the 12 days of Christmas. ...
- Look through your Christmas cards together. ...
- Set aside a special family day. ...
- Host an Epiphany party to celebrate the visit of the magi.
What should be eaten on the 12 days of Christmas? ›
of Christmas it brings good luck for the year ahead. According to tradition, you must also make a wish.
What do you do on the 12th night of Christmas? ›
There is also a popular belief that it is unlucky to leave Christmas decorations hanging after Twelfth Night, though some may leave them up until Candlemas. Other popular Twelfth Night customs include singing Christmas carols, having one's house blessed, merrymaking, as well as attending church services.
How do you add up 12 days of Christmas? ›
Now you simply need to substitute 'n' with the number 12 (the twelfth tetrahedral number) and you've solved our puzzle! So there you've got it! Your true love has given you a whopping number of 364 gifts over the 12 Days of Christmas. That's almost one gift a day for a whole year!