| "> | | | | The twelve days of Christmas 'Feast of Fools' as |
| The twelve days of Christmas is also known as | | | | it was known in the Middle Ages was a great |
| Christmastide and refers to the twelve festive | | | | celebration. It was mostly a British holiday custom. |
| days after Christmas that climax on the 6th | | | | Usually a peasant is chosen as the 'Abbot of |
| January. Celebrated since medieval times, thee | | | | Misrule' or 'King of Misrule' or 'Abbot of Unreason', |
| idea of 12 days as a length for the celebrations | | | | as the official who managed Christmas festivities. |
| has a few different interpretations with the most | | | | The Feast of Fools was drunken wild partying, |
| popular being that it came from a sequence of | | | | pantomimes, singing and dancing. This official |
| Holy Bible verses and the belief that it took 12 | | | | generally had an assistant 'Fool' to help presided |
| days for the Three Kings to travel to Bethlehem | | | | over the celebrations. These mock officials usually |
| to visit the manger where Jesus was born. Pagan | | | | served from 12 days to 3 months arranging and |
| traditions were combined with religious roots for | | | | overseeing festivities and entertainment. Role |
| the festival. | | | | reversals were common with masters serving |
| The twelve days and nights are celebrated in | | | | their slaves. Some slaves even held prominent |
| widely varying ways in different countries around | | | | public positions during this time. The Council of |
| the world. In some countries gifts are given only | | | | Basel in 1431 outlawed the Feast of Fools yet it |
| on Christmas night while in other countries gifts | | | | survived but the tradition was put down again in |
| are exchanged only on the twelfth night and in | | | | 1555 in England by Catholic Queen Mary I. |
| other countries gifts are exchanged each of the | | | | Popular in the 18th century, the Twelfth Night |
| twelve nights. | | | | was traditionally the biggest night for partying and |
| The first day of the Twelfth Night was | | | | gift giving. On the twelfth night people would |
| traditionally St Stephens Day which later became | | | | disguise themselves with outrageous costumes |
| known as 'Boxing Day'. A public holiday celebrated | | | | and animal masks. Pantomimes were popular to |
| in Australia, New Zealand, Africa, Canada and the | | | | be performed and they mocked traditional |
| United Kingdom where Boxing Day has been a | | | | authority with rules were turned upside down. |
| Bank Holiday in Britain since 1871. Boxing Day is | | | | Another tradition was for men to dress as |
| not practiced in Russia, other European counties | | | | women and women to dress as men. |
| or America. The popular theory in Australia is that | | | | Celebrations always followed with the eating of a |
| it came about due to 'alms boxes' being placed in | | | | Twelve Night Cake. This cake was particularly |
| churches during the festive season to collect | | | | popular in Germany, Holland and England. France |
| money for the poor. | | | | had a similar cake but was called "Cake of the |
| Boxing Day started in England in the Middle Ages. | | | | Kings" that honored The Three Kings. A pea was |
| It was a day traditionally marked by the giving of | | | | baked inside and whoever finds it in their slice is |
| Christmas boxes to workers who served them | | | | declared Queen or King. It is a fun tradition where |
| Christmas day. Servants were given the day off | | | | if a woman is declared Queen she picks her King |
| to spend with their families since they could not | | | | and if a man declared King he picks his Queen. |
| celebrate together Christmas day. A box full of | | | | Later evolved the game known as "charades" |
| left over food was given to them to enjoy with | | | | played out on the Twelfth Night. It is believed to |
| their families. | | | | have arisen out of the Middle Ages celebrations. |
| In Dublin St Stephen's Day, 26th December is the | | | | Cards were presented and you had to act out |
| first day of Leopardstown's most famous | | | | over the Twelfth Night the character on your |
| horse-race meeting called the Christmas Festival, | | | | card. |
| which lasts for four days. St Stephen is the | | | | The Victorian upper classes in the eighteenth and |
| patron saint of horses, so it is fitting that this day | | | | early nineteenth century were famous for giving |
| has become synonymous with horse racing. | | | | miniature porcelain shoes as keepsakes for good |
| In the Middle Ages 12 days were filled with | | | | luck on the Twelfth Night of Christmas. The |
| continuous feasting and merry making. It was a | | | | miniature shoes were a symbol of contentment |
| welcomed break for the workers and all work | | | | and prosperity and a popular Christmas-time gift. |
| ceased accept for the looking after of animals. | | | | Today the Twelfth Night celebrations are nothing |
| For 12 days a Yule log was kept alight and it was | | | | more than a faint memory as they are no longer |
| considered a bad luck to not keep it burning for | | | | practiced. The Twelfth Night is considered a holy |
| the entire duration of the 12 days. The Yule log | | | | day, a celebration for the The Three Kings. It is |
| was originally part of the Winter Solstice festivals | | | | also considered the day to take down and put |
| before it later became part of the 12 days of | | | | away your Christmas tree and decorations. |
| Christmas festivities. | | | | |