For many, this is old Christmas Day—or is it?
Folklorist Dale Jarvis acknowledges there is some debate over whether Twelfth Night—marking the official end of the Christmas season—is the 5th or the 6th.
In a series of recent tweets, Jarvis addresses some of the debate and confusion over the 12 Days of Christmas and when the season truly ends.
Jarvis says marking the end of Christmas depends on when you start counting. For some it starts on Christmas Day, meaning that January 5 is the Twelfth Night, but if you start counting on St. Stephens Day — or December 26 — that means the Twelfth Night is actually January 6.
In the Church of England, the Twelfth Night is celebrated on the 5th, but on the old Julian calendar, Christmas Day falls on January 7th. Nalujuk Night is marked on the 6th in Labrador, and the last day of Mummering is often marked on the 6th.
Confused? Not to worry, says Jarvis. If you do it differently “you are part of a complex tradition that was celebrated in many different ways!”
Just got a message from my friend Mona Petten in Port de Grave. She writes, "It irks me when I hear the media refer to Jan.6 as Old Christmas Day. My Grandmother was adamant that it was Jan.5. Have you done any research on this?" – Well! Read on!
— Dale Gilbert Jarvis ?? (@DaleJarvis) January 5, 2021
