NationStates Jolt Archive

Okay everyone ignored my question on the "Tonight is HANUKKAH!" thread so I present it here:

Are the 12 days of Christmas some jealous Christians attempt to outdo the 8 Festival of Lights nights? And why dont we celebrate Christmas for 12 days dammit? *cry and sob and stuff*

nobody knows?

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dear Jesus
Happy Birthday to you

Jesus was only born on one day. Why 12 days of Christmas?

exactly!

I thought maybe it was how many days the three wise crackers travelled

Google says: 6 January -> 26,27,28,29,30,31,1,2,3,4,5,6 = 12 days!

The 12 days of Christmas date from medieval times (I know this is difficult for Americans to grasp, cos they didn't exist then). It was a major mid-winter festival, originally pagan, that celebrated the winter solstice and fought off the dying of the light in the darkest days of midwinter. Twelve days of feasting and festivities were considered the minimum. There was a lord of misrule elected, who would hold sway and who undoubtedly dated from the Dark Ages and probably further back than that.
Some people in Europe still regard it as unlucky to put up Christmas greenery and decorations before Christmas Eve and to take them down before January 6, or 12th Night.
And, who knows, they may be right ...

Thanks!

So just another thing the Christians stole from the Pagans out of jealousy for their kuhlness eh?

I'm gunna start giving everyone A partridge in a pear tree

Thanks!

So just another thing the Christians stole from the Pagans out of jealousy for their kuhlness eh?

I'm gunna start giving everyone A partridge in a pear tree

Giving them sprigs of evergreen boughs would probably be less expensive, and just as Pagan...if you're serious...