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Ok here's a simple question for ya !!
When do the 'twelve' days of Christmas actually start ??.
Is it twelve days before, or does it start on Christmas day to twelve days after??
Because i'm confused !! :unsure:
I take my trimmings down on what i believe to be the 12th night on the 6th January.
Matthew
11-12-03, 12:48 AM
Originally posted by Maria2@Dec 10 2003, 11:13 PM
I take my trimmings down on what i believe to be the 12th night on the 6th January.
So is the myth of bad luck true then if you leave the Xmas decorations up too long?! :D
Thats why my like has been such a mess. :lol:
Thank you Matthew, I'll take them down on the 4th of january next year ;)
with maths that bad, if only you knew what I did for a job :lol: :lol:
Mistyeyeddreamer
11-12-03, 01:14 PM
The twelve days start on Christmas Day and the twelfth day is January 6, also known as epiphany. Epiphany is the manifestation of Christ to the gentiles and is supposed to be the day that the 3 wise men visited.
I know that cos I got a GCE in Scripture Knowledge (Synoptic Gospels) :D
Did you know that in the very old days a log was burned (Yule log) at Christmas and as long as it burned the servants could take things easy and not work so hard. Of course after the log have completely burned away there was a lot of catching up to do. Hence the phrase 'back-log'
When I was in the army we used to have Christmas Dinner served by the officers. I think this was a throwback to the old Roman festival of Saturnalia when masters and slaves changed roles for a day. Squaddies on duty on Christmas Day are awoken by a Warrant Officer and given a cup of tea and (for the smokers) some cigarettes. This ritual is known as gun-fire for reasons unknown to me.
Misty_font_of_useless_knowledge
and boxing day was when the severnts got to open a big box of food and gifts from the lords and ladies, and there was a big party where both classes mixed in the "downstairs" of the house!
We have always put our decs up 12 days before Christmas and down 12 days after. In the catholic church epiphany is the end of the Christmas season, the last Christmas mass in the missal, which is a movable feast come to think of it, but we always took them down anyway. I don't know why we always put them up 12 days before?!. Not doing it this year though, just don't feel like it. Probably next week before they go up now. Got my first Christmas present today.
Just wondering if I should open it now or not. Thing is it could be chocolate, and its always better fresh, isn't it? :D
P.S. Long time since I have been in a Catholic Church, so maybe thats why I have been landed with NFH as opposed to not getting my decs down on time.
I'm confused here now.
Misty says the come down on the 12th night the 6th january, I've always done that.
Matthew says, its bad luck to leave them up after 12th night, I think......so do I take them down on the 4th, 5th, or 6th??
Help, don't want anymore bad luck :cry:
they should be down by the end of 12th night!
so midnight of the 6th at the latest, but you can take them down before that if you want
Thank you Beth :notworthy: :thumbs:
So you Ladies 'take them down' before the 6th !! :unsure: :unsure: :unsure:
And the 12 days of Christmas begin on Christmas day itself !! :unsure: :unsure:
Clear as 'Mud' !! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Thanx !!
just make sure they are gone by the 7th!!! :P
and have a look here at this site....12 days (http://www.electricscotland.com/poetry/12days.htm)
tristar
13-12-03, 01:07 PM
Well...by New Years Day I've usually had enough Christmas spirit and take my decs down. It makes the house look so clean and tidy :lol:
I can't wait to put the decs up though, so I put them up on Dec 1st, cos then my son knows that Christmas is coming :lol: :lol: :lol:
It looks better than Regent Street round here :lol:
Tri :D
So Tristar....
You just add your 12 days after xmas to your 12 days before ;)
Agree with when they are taken down, so much tidier :)
tristar
16-12-03, 02:18 PM
The people who make me really laugh are the ones that put up decs as soon as bonfire night is over :lol: :hihi: :lol:
There's a few of them round my way :lol:
We now have a giant inflatable santa at the Jetsetters house, and an enormous inflatable Christmas tree as we drive out of the street, at the house opposite. It's a definite competition here. I think I'll just stick to my decorated garland with the fairy lights :lol: :hihi: :lol:
As for the twelve days...I think you're right Mazza. I do add an extra 'few' days before Christmas :lol: As for taking them down, it's a good way to do the cleaning :lol:
Tri :D
tristar
28-12-03, 06:43 PM
The inside decs came down today...couldn't stand the clutter any more :( but left the outside ones incase of bad luck, will wait til New Year for them.
What a lovely clean and tidy living room I have :lol: :hihi: :lol:
Tri :D
bulliedbutbolshieboutit!
29-12-03, 06:14 PM
Our town lights are poor this year too. In fact, they consist of Santa and Snowman, stung up on alternate lamp-posts. They look a bit surreal actually, hung up by wire around their necks, like they're being garrotted :lol:
Mrs B
tristar
30-12-03, 11:13 AM
Hi Janee :D
My cats were relatively well behaved this year, the tree only went over once**
I'm glad the kits only had your tree down once :lol: Mine was wonky...nobody else noticed, but I could see it :lol: :hihi: :lol:
I did take the boys to see the lights in London and it was soooooo disappointing. The same old lights again. Our street is much better than them. I told the boys that we will wait for the lights round here to go up next year, and they can see them on the way to get their McDonalds...we won't even have to miss Eastenders :lol: