Do you celebrate the 12 days of Christmas?

[Richmondbread]

The 12 days of Christmas is mainly an observance (not necessarily gift giving of all 12 days). On the Christian calendar the real official Christmas does not begin until December 25th and ends on January 5th (12th night). January 6th is our Epiphany. The weeks leading up to Christmas (in between Thanksgiving) are called "Advent". There are no celebrations then. It is a preparation time.

In the secular world, Christmas begins the day after Thankgiving, and by December 25th it's long gone. This is a puzzlement to me! In my family we don't put any decorations up until at least mid December. No Christmas tree until at least December 15th! Christmas Eve is okay to exchange presents, but most of it will occur on Christmas morning. Christmas Eve we attend Midnight mass (the non-Catholic kind). And then Christmas Day we open our presents. Then we attend morning services followed by a great big feast. The rest of the 11 days we wish people Merry Christmas and keep our decorations up until January 6th.

This is the REAL CHRISTMAS tradition. But most people do not follow this . Oh well.

[RenaRyuguu]

Here in Serbia I end up having 2 Christmases to celebrate. There is my Catholic paternal one which happens on the 25th of December and 24th and then there's the Orthodox Christmas on January 6th and 7th and Orthodox New Year's 13th and 14th.

[RenaRyuguu]

I mostly associate the 12 days of Christmas to that song. I know it by heart though cuz I learnt it at school

[Curiosity]

I didn't even know about this. I mean, we put away our Christmas decorations on January 6th, but I didn't know this was the reason.

[Bogdan]

I’ve celebrated Advent since I can remember.