A-Z CHRISTMAS STEEPED IN TRADITIONS

"T"

IS FOR TWELFTH NIGHT, TURKEY, TINSEL, TOBOGGANS

Twelfth Night is traditionally the end of the Christmas celebrations and falls on 5 January on the eve of Epiphany.  As with many of the Christian traditions, it is a celebration adopted from pagan practices and their festivities for Saturnalia.  The idea that everything is reversed is a big part of the festivities, for instance the king and all noblemen would become peasants, and vice-versa.  A special cake would be made with a bean in one half and a pea in the other.  The half with the bean was for the men, the pea for the women and those who received the slice with the bean and pea would become king and queen for the night and rule the feast and merriment.

It is widely considered that all decorations should be taken down by the Twelfth Night to avoid bad luck.  This superstition is based on a belief upheld until the nineteenth century, when decorations remained until Candlemas on 2 February, (40 days after Christmas).  As the decorations were foiliage, people believed that the greenery contained tree spirits which had to be released to ensure spring would return and vegetation grow.


From English Home Magazine