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History Of The 12 Days Of Christmas

March 27th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

The 12 days of Christmas is probably the most misunderstood part of the church year among Christians who are not part of liturgical church traditions. Contrary to popular belief, these are not the twelve days before Christmas, but in most of the Western Church are the twelve days from Christmas until the beginning of Epiphany. In some traditions, they say that the first day of Christmas begins on the evening of December 25th but the following day is considered the First Day of Christmas (December 26th).

The 12 days and nights are currently celebrated in widely varying ways around the world. Some give gifts only on Christmas night, some only on Twelfth Night, and some give gifts each of the 1twelve nights. It remains constant that we are celebrating the birth of Jesus on December 25th, and it is a period of twelve days and nights following or leading to Epiphany.

The origin of the 12 days of Christmas is complicated, and it is related to the differences in calendars, church traditions, and ways to observe this holy day in various cultures. Even though in our culture we celebrate Christmas on December 25th, January 6th is often the day that we do the giving of gifts. In some places it is traditional to give Christmas gifts for each of the 12 days of Christmas.

By the 16th century, in some cultures they had combined the 12 days of Christmas with festivals celebrating the changing of the year. Usually these were associated with driving away evil spirits for the start of the New Year.

12 Days of Christmas Song

The popular song “The 12 Days of Christmas” is usually seen as simply a nonsensical song popular with the children. However, many have questioned the historical accuracy of this origin of the song “The 12 Days of Christmas”. Many people seem to have made an issue out of trying to debunk this as an “urban myth,” some in the name of historical accuracy and some out of personal agendas. On another level, however, this uncertainty should not prevent us from using the song in celebration of Christmas.

Originally, many of the symbols of Christianity were not religious, as with the exact date of Christmas. As vehicles of worship and proclamation, it was appropriated from contemporary culture by the Christian faith. The more important perhaps is that Christians can celebrate their rich heritage.

Festive Origin f the 12 Days of Christmas

The 12 Days of Christmas as a celebration and festival is old and steeped in traditions from Christian cultures around the world. For many people, the idea of the twelve days as a length of celebration is based on a sequence of verses in the Holy Bible. Differing churches and sects of Christianity have changed the actual traditions, time frame, and their interpretations over the centuries.

Here’s a slightly light hearted, but serious, look at Christmas in the UK.

Saying Merry Christmas Should Not Spark Controversy

March 25th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Many people are wondering when it became politically incorrect to use the phrase merry Christmas. The holiday has been a religious celebration for hundreds of years and people of all nations celebrate. Although their celebrations are based on their religious beliefs, some of which do not match the general reason for the holidays, some folks are almost afraid to say merry Christmas for fear of offending someone whose beliefs are different from their own.

It is easy to say that not everyone will be happy about something that is said. Essentially any phrase religious in nature or not, can be offended but whatever is said should not be confused with expressing a thought and dictating a belief. There is so much diversity in the world that saying something simple like merry Christmas should be accepted in the spirit in which it is said.

When someone offers wished for someone to have a merry Christmas it is not intended to mean they should change their beliefs or way of thinking. It is meant to extol the greeting for the traditional thoughts of the holiday. Peace and good will toward men usually does not elicit as much debate as the phrase merry Christmas, used by a vast majority of the world population.

Maybe Scrooge Did Say It Best

As today’s intolerance for expressing views that others may not agree with, perhaps Ebenezer Scrooge said it best with his infamous “Bah. Humbug.” It was not until he understood the true meaning behind the phrase merry Christmas that he understood that it is more of an attitude than a directive. By wishing someone a merry Christmas it is meant to be a friendly gesture.

Some of the groups have decided that if it is a person’s right to say merry Christmas, it should be their right to not have to hear it. While many of the arguments may seem far-fetched, there are some who truly believe they are being offended when someone wishes them a merry Christmas, claiming it is an affront to their individual beliefs. Others, even with similar opinions, accept the greeting for what it is, and simply ignore it.

A push by some major retailer to change their usual merry Christmas to happy holidays was met with resistance by customers and employees alike. After much debate, most chose to revert back to the merry Christmas greeting as it is an expression of hope for the holiday season.

Wham’s Last Christmas

March 23rd, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

While there are no shortages of classic Christmas songs that have been wildly embraced by popular culture in recent decades, there are also some Christmas songs that were popular for a time and then disappeared from airplay. The classic “Snoopy and the Red Baron” songs by the Royal Guardsmen were hugely popular in the 1970’s have essentially faded into obscurity.

Then again, no one remembers the Royal Guardsman so this is somewhat understandable. However, the 1980’s British band WHAM! were a wildly popular band of the 1980’s that sold millions of albums. This is why it is somewhat curious that there classic song Last Christmas has faded from the pop culture radar.

The History of the Song

In 1984, WHAM! was riding a wave of popularity, but many considered their plan for a Christmas single to be somewhat misguided. Would the public accept a Christmas single from a band that was not really cut from the Perry Como mold? WHAM! considered the release of the Last Christmas single a challenge and in 1984 against a great deal of conventional wisdom, Last Christmas was released as the A side to a single that also featured the song Everything She Wants.

Conventional wisdom was proven wrong and the single went on to sell one million copies (platinum status) and stayed on charts in 1985 and 1986. Unfortunately, the song would soon disappear from the airwaves as, much like the 1970’s music, the tunes of the 1980’s were pegged as dated and no longer popular with audiences.

The 1980’s in Retrospect

It would seem that much of the great music of the 1980’s was dropped down the proverbial Orwellian black hole for many years. For whatever reason, the music of the early 1980’s did not get the nostalgia boost that many other eras of music received. However, this has changed a great deal in recent years as far more critical acclaim as been heaped on music from the era. As such, the classic Last Christmas song has seen a sort of annual resurgence in radio airplay during the Christmas season.

The Comeback of Sorts

As time progressed, the music of the 1980’s began to take on a nostalgic feel and compilations of music from the era began to sell well. This led to the resurgence in popularity of Last Christmas that has allowed to song to achieve a perennial classic cult Christmas song of sorts. As such, it has made a return to airwaves after a two decade absence and now has a new legion of fans.

Families Provide Own Christmas Traditions

March 21st, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

When it comes to holiday celebrations, many families have their rituals that they perform every year. While some of the family Christmas traditions are rooted in their religious beliefs others are the result if years of habit. They will often vary from family to family depending on their history of how things worked, often for generations. Among the many Christmas traditions observed are which set of parent will a couple spend Christmas day with and which will they be with the night before.

Some Christmas traditions are the result of convenience and have carried over to subsequent generations. For example, a family may decide to spend Christmas Eve with the wife’s family and Christmas day with the groom’s family. Once their own children are grown and on their own, their children will likely continue the Christmas traditions established by their parents. Not so much due to convenience, but rather that is the way it has always been done.

Many parents succumbed to the children’s wishes and allowed them to open one present of their choice on Christmas Eve. These types of Christmas traditions are often carried on for several generations, having much the same meaning as the traditional meal on the holiday. Many families choose turkey for their Christmas day dinner and other have Christmas traditions calling for ham or another family favorite.

Some Traditions Born Out Of Necessity

When many families are first starting out they may not be able to afford a lavish holiday meal or tons of presents for their children. Other families may choose to share their good fortune by taking the money they would normally spend on themselves and donate it to charity so that others may enjoy the festive time of year. Many Christmas traditions involve buying and distributing presents to families less fortunate, teaching the children that the best part of Christmas is giving.

The red kettles hanging in front of stores during the holiday shopping season is one of the Christmas traditions to which most people can relate. Seeing Christmas merchandise appear in stores before Halloween is one of the Christmas traditions that many people would like to see go away.

As a result of Christmas traditions many families may have trouble adjusting to a change in their holiday routines and despite their best effort may not be able to overcome the mental power of the ceremonies or visitation days they have endure for many years. Often when loved ones are not around for the first holiday it can be difficult to find new Christmas traditions to institute for a family.

Christmas Is When You Don’t Want To Practice Austerity

March 19th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Christmas is a time of year when everybody goes crazy shopping for items for themselves as well as for others and it is also a time when the business companies capitalize on the rush to shop for gifts. Once the season sets in, there is a mad rush with everybody making a beeline for shops and stores and you could be forgiven for thinking that they are just like lambs being led to the slaughter, which in this case are the sales that they just cannot afford to miss.

A Time To Celebrate

Christmas is a time to celebrate and not to overspend on items that are beyond your reach which means that you need to know of some method whereby you can shop till you are contended, but without at the same time caused you to break the bank and your back in the process. You should be wary of falling for the drug being pushed by commercial enterprises that use Christmas as a vehicle for prostituting their products and making huge profits in the bargain.

Though there is no harm in shopping for a Christmas gift, the trouble begins when you cannot or will not keep a rein on your expenses and you let your fancy get the better of you. No doubt, the excuse is that this is that day when Jesus came into this world, but having forgotten about Him for the rest of the three hundred and sixty four days of the year; it is a bit late to suddenly realize His being and then fall into the rut of spending beyond your means.

There is nothing wrong in celebrating Christmas in a fun and harmless manner and so you should keep this in mind before going out and spending your money without restraint just because Christmas is upon you once more. You should in fact buy just enough to fill the stockings that hang from a Christmas tree and decorate your home and have a good time and there is nothing wrong with that.

However close this may seem to be practicing austerity in time of celebrations it may well be that there is still no denying the fact that Christmas spending often gets out of hand and it often even goes to the extent of missing out on the true meaning of Christmas which is simply to pay respect to a Great Soul. All too often, people get lost in the whirlwind of shopping for Christmas and tend to become a part of the crowd that is also indulging in the same pursuit and thus lose their identity regardless of whether what they are doing is appropriate or not.

Are You Dreaming of a White Christmas?

March 17th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

“I’m dreaming of a white Christmas, just like the ones I used to know…” This popular line from Irving Berlin’s musical White Christmas is one that really harkens the idea of a classic old fashioned Christmas with several feet of snow on the ground. However, if you live in an area that does not get much, if any snow, you should consider spending your Christmas in New England.

New England is the Key to a Classic White Christmas

While you can go to places like Colorado or Alaska, one is too commercial, and the other is too rural (although the culture is very interesting). You should also be aware of the extreme snowstorms that both areas get as well. Both are places that you can go for vacation, but they are not ideally the places for a tourist to spend a traditional white Christmas.

So, why should you choose New England as the ideal place to find a white Christmas? The answer is that in New England you can find the perfect blend of history and tradition. New England is the place to go if you want European and American traditions to come together in one place.

In New England, there are many quaint towns that look like they came right out of a painting. Actually, some of them have, because many artists travel to New England during the winter months and use the scenic surroundings as the basis for their paintings.

There are many different activities that you can partake of when it comes to celebrating a white Christmas in New England. Many cities have shopping events in which you can see entertainment while you shop. If you are looking to spend your Christmas in a more historical way, then consider taking a sleigh ride!

Because New England has both quaint towns and large cities, you also have the option of enjoying a white Christmas in a more cosmopolitan setting. For example, Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, has a delightful place in their Boston Common called the Frog Pond, where you can ice skate.

There are many other different events that take place throughout New England that can provide you with that white Christmas feeling. From crafts fairs to Christmas parades, the possibilities are endless! So, for more information on New England Christmas events, be sure to search the various reputable travel websites that are available. You are sure to find the best Christmas events in New England with the proper research.

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Credits: Make Money Online | Matteo Turchetto | Andreas Viklund