THE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
The Days of Christmas
Welcome to the first of a series of posts about Christmas. This one is about the days of Christmas.
Christmas celebrations in the UK can spread over quite a long time, with Christmas-related items appearing in some shops and on-line stores as soon as summer comes to an end. Here are some of the days and dates usually associated with Christmas.
Advent is the period of time between the fourth Sunday before Christmas and Christmas Eve, during which churches prepare for Christmas. Many people have an advent calendar to mark this time. Advent calendars usually have 24 or 25 numbered flaps – or “doors” – one for each day between 1 December and Christmas Eave or Christmas Day. You open a flap each day to show a picture, or a verse from the Bible or to receive a present (often a chocolate).
Christmas Eve is 24th December: the day before Christmas Day. For many people it’s the last day at work before the Christmas holiday. There are often parties after work, meaning that it can be a time spent with colleagues and friends, before spending Christmas Day with family. “Eve” is a word often used with the meaning of the day (or evening) before. Christmas Eve is when Father Christmas visits children when they are asleep, to deliver their presents.
In the United Kingdom, people celebrate Christmas Day on 25th December. Traditionally, families gather together to exchange presents, to eat and to drink. They might also watch television and play party games such as “musical chairs”, “blind man’s buff” and “pin the tail on the donkey”. Or they might play board games such as Monopoly or Scrabble.
Boxing Day is 26th December: the day after Christmas Day. Traditionally it has been another day to spend with family – perhaps a different part of the family. Most shops used to be closed on Boxing Day but nowadays many open to start their “January Sales”. The name of Boxing Day probably comes from the tradition of having a box in church to collect money for the poor. The money was given to people on the day after Christmas Day.
The Twelve Days of Christmas are the 12 days starting on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day. There is a popular song associating a particular gift with each of these days.
Twelfth Night traditionally marks the end of the Christmas period. It occurs on either 5th or 6th January – depending on whether you start counting to twelve from Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Most people take their decorations down on or before Twelfth Night, as it’s sometimes considered unlucky to leave them up after this date. “Twelfth Night” is also the name of a play by William Shakespeare.
Christmas Jumper Day is a fairly new addition to the calendar. On 13 December each year, many schools and businesses encourage people to wear a Christmas jumper in return for paying some money to a charity.
This is one of a series of posts about Christmas traditions in the UK.
Posted by Graham https://grahamsgrammar.com/about-me/
