Best ways to celebrate the Twelfth Night (holiday) Traditions

The end of the Christmas season and the 12 days of Christmas occurs on the 12th night of Christmas. Although Twelfth Night is not widely commemorated in the United States, inspiration for your own celebration can be found in both local and international traditions.

When does the Twelve Night (holiday) begin? Since Christmas Day may be considered the first day of Christmas, Epiphany Eve (January 5) may be considered the 12th day of Christmas in some traditions. In some cultures, Epiphany is celebrated on January 6, the same day as the 12th night.

Traditional Christmas celebrations in the United States conclude on Twelfth Night, after Christmas Day and Christmas Eve have passed. However, if you like to extend the holiday season into the New Year, you can do so by celebrating all twelve days of Christmas.

Alternative Customs for December 25th

Twelfth Night is a festival, and traditionally, people have celebrated by throwing balls, sometimes even masked ones. Throw your own Twelfth Night celebration or masquerade to say goodbye to the holiday season.

One Elizabethan ritual involved servants dressing up as nobles and nobles dressing down as servants for the party. Even though the social order has changed, you may have a lord or lady of misrule oversee the festivities.

The custom of wassailing was also widely practiced, along with traditional Twelfth Night party games like blind man’s bluff. By firing cannons and banging pots and pans in the orchards, they hoped to scare away any leftover evil spirits and get the trees ready to produce a new harvest in the future year. They would drink ale or cider and sing songs.

Have a feast and toast your success.

Food and drink are essential to any celebration. Serve up some of your favorite drinks, or go with a more classic option like spiced ale or hard cider.

The feast of the Epiphany was a common part of many communities’ Twelfth Night celebrations. However, finger foods and classic desserts also work well. Traditional celebrations of Twelfth Night include the eating of king cake, a type of spiced fruitcake.

The International Twelfth Night

While Americans don’t traditionally celebrate Twelfth Night, many other nations do, each with its own unique traditions. Chocolate roscón, a ring-shaped cake, is the traditional Spanish dessert. Fruit tarts and brioche bread are common party foods in Spain.

Dessert is not always the main course at parties. Tamale tamales are a popular party meal in Mexico. Traditional Polish cuisine consists of szczodraki, which can be either sweet or savory, along with kutya, borscht, and varenyky dumplings. The Epiphany holiday is celebrated on January 19 in various parts of eastern Europe, and may involve a swim in a nearby body of water.

Even while the Twelfth Night holiday is not widely observed in the United States, it doesn’t mean you can’t throw your own Twelfth Night party. Feast on Three Kings cake and sing carols in honor of the three wise men, as is customary in many cultures. It’s a great time to get together with loved ones to celebrate the holiday season.