Twelve Days of Christmas
| Twelve Days of Christmas | |
|---|---|
The Adoration of the Magi, Fresco at the Lower Church of the Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi in Assisi, Italy | |
| Observed by | Christians |
| Type | Christian |
| Observances | Varies by denomination, culture, and nation |
| Date | 25 December – 5 January, inclusive |
| Frequency | annual |
| Related to | Christmas Day, Christmastide, Twelfth Night, Epiphany, and Epiphanytide |
The Twelve Days of Christmas, also known as the Twelve Days of Christmastide, are the festive Christian season celebrating the Nativity.
Christmas Day is the First Day. The Twelve Days are 25 December to 5 January, counting first and last. The Octave, or Eighth Day, is New Year's Day and the Feast of the Circumcision, the day Jesus was circumcised in accordance with the Jewish faith. The evening of the last day of the Twelve Days of Christmastide is Twelfth Night or Epiphany Eve, with the next morning being Epiphany, which commences the season of Epiphanytide in certain traditions.
For Christian denominations such as the Anglican Communion or the Lutheran Church, the Twelve Days are identical to Christmastide (December 25 through January 5). For the Roman Catholic Church, however, Christmastide lasts longer, running through the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. For some, the Twelve Days are considered December 26 to January 6, thus including Epiphany.