Culture, Faith

Friday Facts: How To Celebrate Twelfth Night

Twelfth Night is celebrated every 12 days after Christmas, either January 5 or 6, depending on when the counting started — Christmas Day or Boxing Day. This year, it falls on January 5. It marks the coming of Epiphany, a Christian festival that holds different meanings for the Eastern Church and Western Church. Did you know that William Shakespeare wrote a play of the same name as the Twelfth Night to close the Christmas season? Some traditions say Christmas decorations should be taken down on the Twelfth Night to avoid bad luck. However, if you forget to do that, it’s recommended to keep them up until Candlemas on February 2, or the Twelfth Night of the following year.

TWELFTH NIGHT Activities To Try

  1. Throw a Twelfth Night party. Throw a Twelfth Night party the traditional way, which centers around the king cake. The centerpiece would be the king’s cake, containing a bean and a pea. The two individuals who got the slices with the bean and the pea become the party’s king and queen. You could add a twist and obligate the king and the queen to host the following Twelfth Night.
  2. Give gifts. Even though it’s in January, Twelfth Night is still part of Christmastide. So, in the spirit of Christmas, hand out gifts to loved ones, friends, acquaintances, as well as neighbors.
  3. Act out Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night This is a bit over the top, but it will surely make your Twelfth Night a memorable one. You would need a stage, a cast, and stage crews. You won’t have to act the entire play, just three to five scenes should be enough for your production. Your stage could be your living room and the spectators — your family and friends.

In New Orleans, it marks the start of the Carnival season. Contrary to many people’s thinking, Christmas does not end on December 25. It extends to January 5 or 6, depending on how you choose to count it. The fact that we still get to celebrate some kind of Christmas in January is beyond glorious. You can still sing Christmas carols, share presents, and have a great Christmas dinner with your family.

Merry Christmas!!!

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