The Twelve Days of Christmas

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Carrying Christmas in your heart all year long is a lovely thought, but what if the actual holiday lasted for more than a day? The good news is that it can if you celebrate the Twelve Days of Christmas. The delightful period known as Christmastide (also Twelvetide or Christmas Time) spans from Christmas Day through Epiphany Eve (January 5th), or the period between the birth of Christ and the arrival of the three wise men bearing gifts for the newborn King.

Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas is a beautiful way to focus your Christmas on Jesus. While a popular song about the twelve days of Christmas mentions daily gift-giving, the celebration is about so much more than swans a-swimming, golden rings, maids a-milking, or a partridge in a pear tree. It isn't even necessary to stretch out gift giving (unless you want to). You could, instead, celebrate the ancient feasts of Christmas that occur during this period. Doing this has given my family a new understanding of the breadth and depth of our Savior's love.

The Ancient Feasts of Christmas

Other Christmas feast occur outside Christmastide. St. Nicholas Day and Santa Lucia Day are better-known examples. For a full listing, read The Feasts of Christmas at my website. We'll cover in this post only those feasts that occur between Christmas and Epiphany.

The First Day of Christmas (December 25th): Christmas Day needs no introduction. On this day each year, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the long-awaited Messiah and Savior of the world. Ways to center your thoughts on that wondrous fact are to pray before opening gifts, bake a birthday cake for Jesus, and sing Christmas carols. Christmas reminds me of God's joyful abundance.

The Second Day of Christmas (December 26th): the Feast of Stephen was mentioned in the carol, "Good King Wenceslas," when a king had mercy on a peasant. The Apostle Stephen cared for the poor, so it makes sense that people still give to the poor on his feast day. There's nothing quite like leaving your warm home and braving the elements to take food to the local food bank the day after Christmas. The Feast of Stephen takes me beyond my own wants and needs and lets me share in God's generosity to the less fortunate.

The Third Day of Christmas(December 27th): the Feast of John the Apostle is a good day to remember God's special love for us with a toast of  Saint John’s love, a mulled wine from which the alcohol is boiled away or, if you prefer, mulled cider. Taking a moment to reflect on God's amazing love for mankind infuses depths of meaning into Christmas.

The Fourth Day of Christmas (December 28th): Childermas, or the Feast of the Holy Innocents remembers the firstborns sons put to death by Herod in a failed attempt to destroy Baby Jesus. Thinking of this loss of innocent life, which foreshadowed Jesus laying down his life to save me makes his sacrifice personal. At Childermas, I consider the magnitude of the sacrifice God made to save my soul. 

The Fifth Day of Christmas (December 29th): the Feast of Thomas Becket is in honor of the bishop of Canterbury, martyred on this day in 1170. His struggle against wickedness in high places echoes the battle Jesus fought to deliver us all from the tyranny of sin. On this feast day, I celebrate the freedom my Savior won for me.

The Sixth Day of Christmas (December 30th): the Feast of Egwin of Worcester, remembers a sixth-century bishop celebrated for protecting widows and orphans and for his devotion to purity. I believe in learning from the examples of those who lived honorable lives. On this day, I consider what I can do to ease the lives of widows and orphans, review the ten commandments in Exodus, chapter 20. and read the Beatitudes (Matthew 5: 3-10). 

The Seventh Day of Christmas (December 31th): the Feast of Sylvester/Silvester ushers out the old year. Not much is known nowadays about this feast's namesake, a fourth-century pope who was thought to have been slain by a dragon. His feast day predated a change to the Gregorian calendar that moved the end of the year to this day. Even so, in Brazil, Germany, and other countries, end-of-the-year celebrations bear Sylvester's name. This is a good day to assess the passing year and look forward with friends and family to the new year.

The Eighth Day of Christmas (January 1st): the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ commemorates the Jewish custom of circumcising an infant on the eighth day after birth. Circumcision symbolizes separation to God. On this day, I read Luke 2: 21 and examine my heart before God.

The Ninth Day of Christmas (January 2nd): the Feast of Basil the Great brings in a bit of levity with raisins baked in a loaf of bread called a vassilopita in lieu of the gold coins that were once used. The coins represented Basil's generosity in giving to the poor. This feast day is another reminder and opportunity to give to others in need.   

The Tenth Day of Christmas (January 3rd): the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus celebrates Jesus's official naming in the Jewish temple. The Bible tells us that an angel first spoke the name to Mary when visiting her before Jesus's conception. This is a day to savor a sweet dessert and reflect on the meaning of Jesus’ name, "God Saves.” 

The Eleventh Day of Christmas (January 4th): the Feast of Elizabeth Ann Seton honors the memory of a 19th-century woman who cared for the poor, including orphans and widows. This is a day to follow her example and think of others. In this, we emulate Jesus.

The Twelfth Day of Christmas (January 5th): Twelfth Night (or Epiphany Eve) was historically a riotous occasion. A Twelfth Night party in England might include a cake with a bean baked into it. Whoever discovered the bean could wear a paper crown and rule over the madcap celebration. Twelfth night is the traditional time to take the Christmas tree down. The branches were burned in a bonfire, a ceremony that signaled the end of Christmastide. 

The festivities don’t end here, however. Dawn would bring Epiphany, the culmination of Christamastide and the beginning of Epiphanytide. Ah, but that's a topic for another time.

About Janalyn Voigt

Janalyn Voigt's unique blend of adventure, romance, suspense, and whimsy creates breathtaking fictional worlds for readers. Janalyn is a storyteller who writes medieval epic fantasy, western historical fiction, and romantic mystery/suspense.


Janalyn is represented by Wordserve Literary Agency. When she's not writing, she loves to discover worlds of adventure in the great outdoors with her family.

Escape into fictional worlds at Janalyn Voigt's website!

New Release! The Forever Sky

Can a young widow with no faith in love, hope for a future with the man who broke her heart?
Maisey isn’t about to give Rob another chance to reject her love. Why should she believe that the man who left town without a backward glance three years ago cares about her? Life had taught her all about broken dreams, and she didn’t want to hope again. If only her young daughter would stop adopting Rob as a father, ignoring him—and her own emotions--would be a whole lot easier.

Thoughts of the woman he’d left behind haunted Rob for three long years. It wouldn’t have been fair to ask Maisey to wait while he mined a gold claim. After making his fortune, he’d returned to his family in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley. Rob was ready to settle down, and he’d rather do so with Maisey. But after their first encounter, it was clear that he’d lost her forever.

Circumstances force Maisey and Rob into one another’s company. They learn, through hardship and loss, that the only way to one another is to surrender first to God’s love.

Based on actual historical events during a time of unrest in America, The Forever Sky explores faith, love, and courage in the wild west.

Learn More>>

Thanksgiving Traditions

Thanksgiving Then and Now
by Martha Rogers

For most families, Thanksgiving is a time to come together for good food and good fellowship. Every family has its own traditions. Some of those have been passed down for generations, and some are made new as the family expands and grows.

It’s a holiday that is celebrated in many cultures as a time of giving thanks for a bountiful harvest. Both Canada and the United States celebrate a Thanksgiving Holiday on the North American continent.

Two of the many things associated with fall and Thanksgiving

Good Food

The Colors of the Season

The history of our holiday is based both on legend and fact. The legend has our Pilgrims in the state of Massachusetts being the first to celebrate a harvest after a harsh winter in 1620-21 when they had so little food. During the spring of 1621, it is said that the Wampanoag Iroquois Indians taught the Pilgrims how to grow corn and other crops and how to hunt and fish.

Traditions that stem from that celebration include the foods from the harvest such as corn, barley, beans, cranberries, squash, and pumpkin as well as deer, turkey, and other wild game. The Pilgrims and the Indians came together and celebrated with a large feast.

In 1789, George Washington suggested a date to observe a day of thanksgiving for the nation on November 26 and call it Thanksgiving Day. Later presidents were not so keen on the idea because it seemed to be a religious holiday and violated the separation of church and state. Because of this, only two presidents, John Adams and James Madison were the only two to proclaim a day of thanksgiving.

As early as 1846, the editor of Godey’s magazine published editorials which encouraged readers to celebrate what she called the “Great American Festival” in hopes it would unite the country and avert a war among the states.

In 1863, in the midst of a civil war of such magnitude and severity that it tore our nation apart, Lincoln asked all Americans to set aside the last Thursday of November as a day of giving thanks.

Here is an excerpt from that speech:

“It has seemed to me fit and proper that these gifts should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people; I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea, and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a Day of Thanksgiving and a Prayer to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.” (Abraham Lincoln, October 3,1863)

Families gathered after the proclamation to give thanks for the blessings they

had received in the previous year.

After that, it became a yearly celebration, and from those early days many traditions have evolved. Family traditions abound from the kind of dressing to be served and the kind of meat with which it is served to the activities planned for the day. Some families use the holiday as a time for family reunions that spread across generations while other may only include the immediate family.

One tradition that seems to be enjoyed by a great many people judged by the crowds which attend them, is that of the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Macy’s parade in New York began in 1924 and is the best known one today. It was immortalized in the film Miracle on 34^th Street. Now, many other cities across our nation have similar parades attended by young and old alike.

Football has also become a tradition dating back to the early days of television in the 1950’s and even earlier on radio. College rivalries made for great games enjoyed by those who attended in person or watched on the screen of their television sets.

This is a picture of my own table ready for Thanksgiving

No matter where you live, or how large or small your family is, Thanksgiving is most likely celebrated at your home or the home of a relative. It is indeed, a day to reflect on and give thanks for God’s great blessings of the past year.

This month, in honor of the holiday, I’m giving away a copy of my novella, Thanksgiving in the Valley. Leave a comment below to tell me about one of your Thanksgiving family traditions to be entered in a drawing for the book, either paperback or e-book. Be sure to leave your email address as well, so I can contact you.

From our house to yours:

Travis fell in love with Violet when she was fourteen. Now, ten years later, he returns to Ridgewood Valley as a lawman and still loves her. Violet has always loved Travis and when he returns from serving in the U.S. Cavalry, her love

grows. Because she’s a preacher’s daughter, and he has less than stellar reputation while in the cavalry, he doesn’t feel worthy of Violet’s love and tries to avoid her. A few days before Thanksgiving, while he is away on a man hunt, Violet is shot during an attempted robbery of the church’s offerings. When Travis returns to town and learns of Violet’s injuries, he realizes he can’t live without her. Will this Thanksgiving Day be one of great blessings for these two hearts?  

Martha Rogers is a multi-published author and writes a weekly devotional for ACFW. Since receiving her first novel contract at age 73, Martha has written and published over 50 books. Martha and her husband Rex live in Houston, Texas where they are active members of First Baptist Church. They are the parents of three sons and grandparents to eleven grandchildren and great-grandparents to five. Martha is a retired teacher with twenty-eight years teaching Home Economics and English at the secondary level and eight years at the college level supervising student teachers and teaching freshman English. She is the Director of the Texas Christian Writers Conference held in Houston in August each year, a member of ACFW, ACFW WOTS chapter in Houston, and a member of the writers’ group, Inspirational Writers Alive.

Find Martha at:  www.marthawrogers.com, www.hhhistory.com                   Twitter:  @martharogers2
          Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarthaRogersAuthor

The First Labor Day Parade

Blogger: Amber Schamel

Happy Labor Day, everyone! I hope you are enjoying the last hurrah of summer and the three day weekend. Today I thought it would be fitting to talk about the first ever Labor Day Parade and the events surrounding the holiday. 

 

First Labor Day Parade September 5, 1882

The year is 1882, the Gilded Age, with all of its beauties and horrors. One of the major problems of this era was the horrible working conditions and the long, hard hours workers were expected to perform if they wanted to remain employed. At this point in history, the average American worked twelve hours per day, six days a week, often in harsh conditions, and with very little pay. As a result, many trade unions and other organizations formed with a goal to advocate for laborers.

One of the tactics that was utilized was a public demonstration to celebrate labor, and the workers involved in it. On September 5th of 1882, several labor unions, including the Knights of Labor joined together under what they called the Central Labor Union and had a parade down the streets of New York City. Music, banners, and American Flags were among the sights of that first parade as ladies with parasols and men with their hats and canes turned out to witness the sight.

P.J. McGuire - Father of Labor Day

The demonstration was a successful one, and soon the idea of a holiday to celebrate labor was proposed. P.J. McGuire is credited with having made the suggestion, and his work on behalf of the laborer is remembered in giving him the title of "Father of Labor Day." In the early days, Labor Day often began with a parade and involved speeches by leading labor union leaders.

Today, Labor day is little more than the last three-day-weekend of Summer and the start of football season. But we would do well to remember our labor history on this day as well, and perhaps even muse on what still needs to be changed.

What labor law are you most grateful for? 

*****

Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award for historical fiction, Amber Schamel writes riveting stories that bring HIStory to life. She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest".  She lives near Denver, Colorado near her favorite stretch of mountain range. Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her online at www.AmberSchamel.com/ and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!

War-time Christmas 1861-1864

Celebrating Christmas on the Battlefield and Homefront
Martha Rogers

From 1861 to 1864 Christmas was difficult for families on both sides of the conflict between the North and South. My great-grandmother Sallie Dyer told of her worst Christmas ever in 1864 when she had not heard from her true love, Manfred, since early November before the battle of Nashville. She had no idea where he was or if he had survived the battle his regiment fought in Tennessee.

Similar scenes played out across the states as those left behind pondered the

fate of their loved ones or mourned the passing of sons, brothers and husbands.

Despite the circumstances, the holiday and celebrating the birth of Jesus was important to both sides. Stories are told of units spending Christmas Eve with enemies singing Christmas carols across enemy lines in a night when the guns were silent to remember the Savior’s birth.

During this time, the first introductions to the modern image of jolly old St. Nick entered their lives through drawings by an immigrant German-speaking artist, Thomas Nast. Another German custom, the Christmas tree, also played a role in the celebration of Christmas with table top size trees and beautiful ornaments, some of them home-made. 

Christmas packages were sent to the front and in most cases were delivered. One soldier, John Haley of Maine, wrote, “It is rumored that there are sundry boxes and mysterious parcels over at Stoneman’s Station directed to us. We retire to sleep with feelings akin to those of children expecting Santa Claus.” Many letters home mentioned decorating camp Christmas trees and having a dinner of salt-pork and hard tack.

The holiday reminded everyone of the melancholy settling over the entire nation. Many parents, especially in the South, warned their children that Santa might not make it across enemy lines thus no gifts under the tree for Christmas morning. Soldiers were reminded more acutely than ever of the domestic bliss left behind. 

The people of Fredericksburg, Virginia had the war brought right to their doorstep only a matter of days before the holiday. Theirs was indeed a bleak Christmas. Perhaps the most well-known war-time Christmas event is the capture of Savannah by General Sherman who wrote a letter to Lincoln on December 22, 1864 giving the President the gift of the beginning to the end of the war. 

Christmas served as both an escape as well as a reminder of the conflict dividing the country. Families back home celebrated but with an eye on that empty chair at the table, wondering when it would again be filled. Children were content to receive hand-carved toys, fruit, and other home-made items. Even General Sherman’s men brought food to starving families in the war stricken Georgia countryside.

The novel, Little Women, was one of my favorite books and I remember Christmas for the March girls during the war. Christmas went on despite horrific conditions and loved ones missing from the family gatherings.

Other wars since that time have brought the same feelings of loneliness and loss to countless loved ones. Through it all, Christmas was one holiday that brought hearts together to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Information source: http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/on-the-homefront/culture/christmas-during-the-civil-war.html

Martha Rogers is a free-lance writer and writes a weekly devotional for ACFW. Martha and her husband Rex live in Houston where they enjoy spending time with their grandchildren.  A former English and Home Economics teacher, Martha loves to cook and experimenting with recipes and loves scrapbooking when she has time. She has written three series, Winds Across the Prairie and Seasons of the Heart and The Homeward Journey. Her new contemporary series, Love in the Bayou City of Houston and novella, Christmas Blessing are now available on Amazon.  

Find Martha at:  www.marthawrogers.com

Christmas Trivia and giveaways!

Debbie Lynne Costello here with a few questions for you. Who out there loves Christmas? Do you consider yourself a pretty good expert on things about the Christmas holiday? We all love a little trivia, right? I've put together some fun Christmas trivia to test you knowledge. So grab a pencil and a piece of paper and write down your answers. When you finished you can continue to scroll down for the answers. Good Luck and no googling! LOL!!

Let me know how you did and which ones surprised you or stumped you. I'm giving away a copy of SWORD OF FORGIVENESS, and a glass Christmas ornament. Share on FB and/or twitter and let me know for an extra entry. After 10 people leave comments I'll add another Christmas ornament for every 5 new commenters. I'd love to give away 5 or more ornaments! Don't forget to leave your email address and let me know if you shared. Giveaway ends 12/12.

Public Domain By Gerard van Honthorst - Google Art Project, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45542035

1) What year did December 25th become the official date for Christmas?

2) Who was the person responsible for making December 25th Christ's birthday?

3) What is the earliest known Christmas tree decoration?

4) This country's Christmas trees had mass destruction of their trees. So people could still celebrate the holiday with a tree they made the first artificial Christmas tree out of dyed goose feathers. What country was this?

5) What year were Christmas trees first sold in the US?

6) What was the first state to recognize Christmas in 1836?

7) When did December 25th become an official United States holiday?

8) What was the last state in 1907 to declare Christmas a legal holiday?

9) How many days is the Yule Log burned?

                                              PUblic Domain Wiki By Robert Chambers - The Book of Days 

11) Who outlawed Christmas celebrations and carols in England from 1649-1660?

12) There are two claims to what president put the first tree in the White House. Who are those 2 presidents? 

13) What environmentalist president banned the Christmas tree from the White House? 

14) What was invented and commissioned by Sir Henry Cole in 1843?

15) Why was December 25th chosen for Christmas?

16) How much did it cost to send a Christmas card within the same city early in the Victorian era? 

17) What country created eggnog?

18) What automobile manufacturer was born on December 25th, 1878?
 
19) What country did Joseph, Mary, and Jesus go to after they left Bethlehem?

20) What year were flashing Christmas lights introduced? 

Now some less historical but fun trivia.

21) What shone out of the darkness in the song, "Go Tell it on the Mountain"?

22) What two words were used to describe Santa's beard in "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause"?

23) In "Frosty the Snowman", what are the hills made of?

24) In "Little Town of Bethlehem", what kind of souls will receive Him (Christ) still?

25) In the last verse of "Jingle Bells", the writer tells the young men to get a certain type of horse, that can go a certain speed, and to hitch him to your sleigh and you will lead the way. What is the type of horse and how fast can this horse run?

26) What was the last thing that Frosty said?

27) What does Alvin the chipmunk want for Christmas?

28) How many wisemen were there according to the bible?

29) In the song "Silver Bells", what is dressed in holiday style?

30) Where is everyone dancing and prancing in the song, "Jingle Bell Rock"?

31) What is the biggest selling single song of all time?

32) In "The Night Before Christmas", which reindeer was never mentioned?

33) What was Scrooges deceased business partner's name?

34) What is Tiny Tim's Father's name?

35) In "Winter Wonderland", where can you build a snowman?

36) In Miracle on 34th Street, Kris Kringle tells a shopper that the rival store, Gimbels, has better what?

37) Which Ghost did Ebenezer Scrooge fear the most?

38) In A Charlie Brown Christmas, how much does Lucy charge for her psychiatric advice? 

39)  How many gifts would you receive if you received all the gifts in "The Twelve Days of Christmas"?

40) How many times was Santa Clause mentioned in "The Night Before Christmas"?

And now your answers to see how you did.

1) 350 AD
2) Pope Julius I
3) Apples
4) Germany
5) 1850
6) Alabama
7) 1870
8) Oklahoma
9) 12 days
10) 4th century, Turkey
11) Oliver Cromwell
12) President Franklin Pierce and President Benjamin Harrison
13) President Teddy Roosevelt in 1901
14) The Christmas Card
15) Because pagans were exalting false deities on that date and the church leaders thought to steer them to the One and True Deity. The Christ.
16) It was delivered by servants
17) England
18) Louis Joseph Chevrolet
19) Egypt
20) They were introduced in 1930
21) A heavenly light
22) snowy white
23) snow
24) meek souls
25) bobtailed bay, 42 is his speed
26) I'll be back again some day.
27) A hoola-hoop 
28) The Bible doesn't say
29) sidewalks
30) Jingle Bell Square
31) White Christmas
32) Rudolf
33) Jacob Marley
34) Bob Cratchit
35) In the meadow
36) Skates
37) The Ghost of Christmas yet to come
38) five cents
39) 364 gifts
40) None!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway!

When her father died, she had promised herself no man would own her again, yet who could defy an edict of the king? After the death of her cruel father, Brithwin is determined never again to live under the harsh rule of any man. Independent and resourceful, she longs to be left alone to manage her father’s estate. But she soon discovers a woman has few choices when the king decrees she is to marry Royce, the Lord of Rosencraig. As if the unwelcome marriage isn’t enough, her new husband accuses her of murdering his family, and she is faced with a challenge of either proving her innocence or facing possible execution.
Royce of Hawkwood returns home after setting down a rebellion to find his family brutally murdered. When all fingers point to his betrothed and attempts are made on his life, Royce must wade through murky waters to uncover the truth. Yet Brithwin’s wise and kind nature begin to break down the walls of his heart, and he soon finds himself in a race to discover who is behind the evil plot before Brithwin is the next victim. 
 
 

Debbie Lynne Costello has enjoyed writing stories since she was about eight years old. She studied journalism at Heritage University. She raised her family and then embarked on her own career of writing the stories that had been begging to be told. She and her husband have four children and live in upstate South Carolina. She has worked in many capacities in her church and is currently the Children's Director. Debbie Lynne has shown and raised Shetland Sheepdogs for eighteen years and still enjoys litters now and then. In their spare time, she and her husband take pleasure in camping and riding their Arabian and Tennessee Walking horses.






Pictures are courtesy of Wiki.