Today? The 10th Day of Christmas? Already?
The Twelve Days of Christmas began on Dec. 25 with Christmas. They’ll end on Epiphany (“appearing/understanding”) on Jan. 6th.
(More Than You Wanted to Know: Because of how such things were counted long ago, The 1st Night was Christmas Night, and the 12th Night was Jan. 5; this made Epiphany the 12th Day.)
Each of the 12 Days was a time for joyful worship services and, if possible, the giving of gifts to one another.
I’ll bet most of us could benefit from finding a way to catch our breath during these Twelve Days of Christmas. For example, a friend told me yesterday that her office “is like a nervous chihuahua” this week.
We complain that the holidays have worn us out.
The Twelve Days of Christmas invite us to simply relax and revel in the enjoyment God’s Great Gift of Christ.
Let’s take a moment on this 10th Day of Christmas and do that.
Let’s start with a prayer of gratitude.
joescheets 
I indeed am thankful for many things, including you and yours, Joe.
-neb
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Thank you! I’ve long wondered whether 12th night was the evening *of* Epiphany, or the “eve” before it. But if we count Christmas Day as the 1st day of Christmas, doesn’t that make Epiphany the 13th day of Christmas? Obviously, I’m still confused.
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As I understand it (and how’s that for a disclaimer?!),
The 12 Days begin on Christmas, but the prevalent medieval way of thinking was that 12th Day followed 12th night, and was thus on January 6. And if that’s not confusing enough, wilder still is that for a while 12th Night was the conclusion to a winter festival that began on Halloween.
Seems to most of us now that Christmas Day itself is Day 1, Dec. 26 is Day 2, etc., which takes us to Jan. 5 being Day 12 to conclude The Season of The Gospel called Christmas Season…and then Epiphany Day, if you will, is thus Jan. 6.
Any help?
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Hahaha, no wonder I’m confused! But hey – it’s good to know that the winter festival lasts from Halloween to Epiphany, rather like the modern retail Christmas season!
Oh wait – maybe I’m getting a glimmer: “And there was evening, and there was morning, the first day”! If you start the day in the evening, as in Genesis, perhaps it comes out right.
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