Christmas Facts – Twelve Feasts of Christmas

The Twelve Feasts of Christmas: A Celebration of Food and Culture

Santa — Sun, 11 Dec 2022 13:47:52 +0000

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The Twelve Feasts of Christmas: A Celebration of Food and Culture

The holiday season is a time of joy, love, and gratitude, and what better way to celebrate than with good food and drinks? The Twelve Feasts of Christmas (also known as the Twelve Days of Christmas, Twelvetide, and the title of our children’s picture book) is a traditional celebration observed in many countries around the world, marked by twelve days of delicious meals and drinks. Each feast has its own cultural significance and unique culinary traditions, making it a truly global celebration. In this article, we’ll explore the history and significance of the Twelve Feasts of Christmas, as well as some of the mouth-watering dishes that are enjoyed during this festive season.

Twelve Feasts of Christmas Humorous Children's Picture Book

🎵 In the first house at Christmas the family left for me: A mince pie and a Sherry. 🎵🎶
Inspired by the classic song ‘The 12 Days of Christmas’ and Eric Carle’s wonderful ‘Very Hungry Caterpillar’ this book is perfect to read aloud with your children or grandchildren.
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The History of the Twelve Feasts of Christmas

The Origins of the Twelve Days of Christmas

The Twelve Feasts of Christmas is closely tied to the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. The holiday season begins on Christmas Day, which is celebrated on December 25th, and continues for twelve days until January 6th, which is known as the Feast of Epiphany. This period is known as the Twelve Days of Christmas, and each day is marked with feasting, gift-giving, and other festive activities.

The Significance of the Twelve Feasts

The Twelve Feasts of Christmas are an important part of many cultures around the world, and each feast has its own unique significance. Some of the most popular feasts include:

Feast of St. Stephen (December 26th)

This feast is named after St. Stephen, who was one of the first Christian martyrs. In many countries, including Ireland, Boxing Day is celebrated on this day, and it is marked by gift-giving and charity.

Feast of St. John the Evangelist (December 27th)

This feast is named after St. John the Evangelist, who was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. In many countries, including Spain, this day is celebrated with feasting and fireworks.

Feast of the Holy Innocents (December 28th)

This feast commemorates the massacre of the innocent children by King Herod, who was trying to kill the baby Jesus. In many countries, including Mexico, this day is marked by pranks and practical jokes.

Feast of St. Sylvester (December 31st)

This feast is named after St. Sylvester, who was the pope in the fourth century. In many countries, including Germany and Austria, this day is marked by feasting and fireworks to celebrate the New Year.

Feast of the Epiphany (January 6th)

This feast marks the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas and is celebrated in many countries, including Spain and Mexico, with parades and gift-giving.

The Culinary Traditions of the Twelve Feasts of Christmas

The Twelve Feasts of Christmas are also a time of delicious food and drink, and each feast has its own unique culinary traditions. Here are some of the most popular dishes that are enjoyed during this festive season:

Roast Turkey

Roast turkey is a popular dish that is enjoyed on Christmas Day in many countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. It is typically served with stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce.

Tamales

Tamales are a traditional dish that is enjoyed on the Feast of the Holy Innocents in Mexico. They are made from masa, a type of corn dough, and filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables before being wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.

Yule Log

The Yule Log is a traditional dessert that is enjoyed in many countries, including France and Belgium, on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. It is made from a sponge cake that is rolled into a log shape and decorated with chocolate icing to resemble a log.

Rosca de Reyes

Rosca de Reyes is a sweet bread that is enjoyed on the Feast of the Epiphany in Mexico. It is shaped like a wreath and is decorated with candied fruit to represent the jewels of the three wise men.

Lechón

Lechón is a popular dish that is enjoyed on the Feast of St. Sylvester in the Philippines. It is a whole roasted pig that is stuffed with lemongrass, garlic, and other herbs and spices before being slow-roasted until the skin is crispy and the meat is tender and juicy.

FAQs

What are the Twelve Feasts of Christmas?

The Twelve Feasts of Christmas is a traditional celebration observed in many countries around the world, marked by twelve days of delicious meals and drinks.

What is the significance of the Twelve Feasts of Christmas?

The Twelve Feasts of Christmas are an important part of many cultures around the world, and each feast has its own unique significance.

What are some of the traditional dishes that are enjoyed during the Twelve Feasts of Christmas?

Some of the most popular dishes include roast turkey, tamales, Yule Log, Rosca de Reyes, and Lechón.

Conclusion

The Twelve Feasts of Christmas is a celebration that brings together people from different cultures and traditions around the world. It is a time of joy, love, and gratitude, and what better way to celebrate than with good food and drinks? From roast turkey to tamales to Yule Log and Rosca de Reyes, the culinary traditions of the Twelve Feasts of Christmas are as diverse and delicious as the cultures that celebrate them. So, this festive season, let’s come together and celebrate the Twelve Feasts of Christmas with family, friends, and of course, lots of good food!

The post The Twelve Feasts of Christmas: A Celebration of Food and Culture appeared first on Twelve Feasts of Christmas.

When is Christmas Jumper Day?

Santa — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 18:36:24 +0000

This “When is Christmas Jumper Day?” post contains product that are carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

When is Christmas Jumper Day?

Christmas jumper day 2023 will be here sooner than you think. Thursday 7 December is the day to send the kids to school in their festive sweaters, or to make sure you’ve done your wool wash including your prize knit to wear to work.

If you are in need of a new and funky Christmas Jumper then why not take a look at what we have to offer – Christmas Jumpers.

What is Christmas Jumper Day?

Christmas Jumper Day happens every year, or at least it has for the last 10 years. It’s an annual fundraiser. Specifically, it’s a fundraising event for Save the Children. But many charities have found that people use the day to get dressed up and support them, which is lovely. On one day in December, millions of people across the UK dig out their Christmas jumpers to wear at work, school or with their mates, and make a donation to help change the world with a cause that’s close to their hearts.

As a parent, we’ve sent the kids to school in their Christmas jumpers for years. The date creeps up on us and the kids have invariably grown but not at the right rate for hand me downs. So there’s an inevitable minor panic to get the jumper that fits and that they like enough to wear it.

Why is it just one day?

As a family, we do like to have a jumper for the season, just for fun. And I do wear mine to work on Christmas Jumper Day because it’s fun to dress down a bit. In one of my jobs, I had a colleague who has at least one Christmas jumper for every working day in advent. The most impressive thing about the collection was that she had matching Christmas earrings to go with each of them! Her Christmas Jumper Day pairing was always something ‘extra’, which I guess means the day is still special and different.

My other half treats Christmas jumpers like dogs. They’re for life, not just for Christmas. He makes sure they get out regularly, no matter which month or season we happen to be in. His football mates love it when he turns up on a spring evening in his Santa sweatshirt. Even he commits on Christmas Jumper Day though. I guess it’s the charity aspect, and the fact that everyone is wearing one at the same time.

Who is Christmas Jumper Day for?

Save the Children has definitely made the most of Christmas Jumper Day since 2012. They’ve encouraged supporters to don their fanciest festive knits on the day, donating just £2 to the charity to make things better for children in the UK and around the world.

Excitingly this year, the UK government is matching donations to Save the Children for Christmas Jumper Day so the charity will literally double their appeal income without any more of us dressing up and donating our £2. If we needed an incentive to give during a cost of living crisis, they’ve nailed it.

People choose to support many charities with their Christmas Jumper Days, from school PTAs to local food banks. And in the spirit of Christmas, I’m pretty sure Save the Children don’t mind. So while the day is for Save the Children, lots of people will benefit from Christmas Jumper Day – not least from the fun of festive wear all around them on 8 December.

The post When is Christmas Jumper Day? appeared first on Twelve Feasts of Christmas.

Why was Christmas banned in England?

Santa — Sat, 15 Oct 2022 20:11:38 +0000

Why was Christmas banned in England is answered in the excellent Making of Oliver Cromwell. Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a small commission.

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The Making of Oliver Cromwell is the first volume in a pioneering account of Oliver Cromwell—providing a major new interpretation of one of England’s most complex and fascinating historical figures.

Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658), the only English commoner to become the overall head of state, is one of history’s great figures, but he wasn’t loved by all. He was both brave and devout, as well as cunning and self-serving.

Why was Christmas banned in England?

The 25th of December was a public holiday in the first half of the 17th century, and all businesses were closed. People flocked to special church services, and public spaces were decked out in holly, rosemary, and ivy. Dancing, singing, drinking, and gift-giving were all part of the festivities. Roast beef and mince pies were popular holiday fare. But in 1647 Christmas was banned in England, a ban that lasted for nearly 20 years, and sparked a Civil War.

The Puritan government imposed the ban in 1647 because they believed Christmas was being used as an excuse for drunkenness, promiscuity, gambling, and other forms of excess. They also saw such celebrations as being too closely associated with Catholicism at a time when Catholics were viewed with suspicion at best, and hated and persecuted at worst. Whilst the 1647 Christmas ban was one of the longest, it wasn’t the first Christmas ban.

In 1640, Presbyterians in Scotland made Christmas illegal.

In January 1642, Parliament passed and King Charles signed legislation establishing a monthly day of prayer, repentance, and fasting. Such days were not uncommon in the Early Modern World; when times were tough, communities and even nations were frequently asked to spend such days fasting and praying in the hope of Divine intervention to end their troubles. The last Wednesday of each month in England and Wales was set aside for this purpose by law in 1642.

When was the first Christmas ban?

The first Christmas ban was enacted in 1644. It coincided with Parliament’s monthly day of prayer and fasting in the hope of bringing the war to an end, and a specific ordinance was passed to emphasise this. Church services were cancelled for that day. Given that the ordinance was issued only a few days before Christmas, the country was torn apart by Civil War, and Parliament had little control over much of the country, it was unclear how many people carried it out.

In 1645, Parliament passed a new ‘Directory of Public Worship,’ intended to replace the Book of Common Prayer and lay out a new form of worship for the Anglican church. It stated that special services or celebrations for Christmas, Easter, and other such festivals were no longer to be held.

Did Oliver Cromwell ban Christmas?

No, not really. There was a ban, but it was imposed by Parliament. Cromwell’s role was minimal at best. In fact, Cromwell was crucially absent from Parliament when the key ban was passed; He was under threat of arrest at the time for supporting the army in their pay protests.

The outright prohibition came in June 1647, when Parliament passed an ordinance prohibiting Christmas, Easter, and Whitsun festivities, services, and celebrations, including domestic festivities, with fines for noncompliance – though they also instituted a monthly secular public holiday (the equivalent of a modern bank holiday) instead.

Puritans regarded Christmas as a Pagan festival and claimed that the 25th of December was not mentioned in the Bible. They enforced the Christmas ban, requiring all shops and markets to remain open and many churches to remain closed in order to hold a Christmas service.

The public reacted violently to the ban, causing disruptions across the country. Canterbury was one of the worst hotspots, with violent looting and rioting breaking out the first Christmas after the ban was imposed.

He was devoted to his cause as a legislator, and ruthless as a soldier. Cromwell’s speeches and writings outnumber those of any other English ruler before Victoria, and those seeking to understand him have usually taken him at his word.

Ronald Hutton separates fact from fiction in his remarkable new work. Cromwell quickly rose from obscure provincial to military victor as he pursued his devotion to God and solidified his Puritan support base. Hutton reveals a man who was both sincere in his faith and purposeful in his dishonesty—and reveals the inner workings of the man who has baffled biographers for centuries.

The Christmas ban, like most Commonwealth/Protectorate legislation, was repealed with the Restoration in 1660. Over the last 350 years, the ban, its effectiveness, and Cromwell’s association with it have all become part of popular mythology.

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