Christmas 2022: What are the 12 Days of Christmas and What Do They Mean?

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2022: Most of us probably know about the ‘Twelve days of Christmas’ — the English Christmas Carol that lists the 12 gifts meant to be given on each day of the 12 days of Christmas. Ahead of the Christmas celebrations, we bring to you details on what each of these 12 days of Christmas stand for:

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Twelve Days of Christmas, also called Twelvetide, marks the celebratory phase of the birth of Jesus Christ or the ‘Nativity of Jesus’ and arrival of the Magi, the three wise men. For those thinking that these 12 days are the ones that lead to Christmas, it is quite the opposite.

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1. Day 1
   According to Western ecclesiastical tradition, Christmas celebrated on December 25 is considered the Day 1 of Christmas (when Jesus was born to Joseph and Mary in Bethlehem), and the rest of the 11 days follows after that.
2. Day 2
   Saint Stephen’s Day (He was the first martyr of Christianity). It is celebrated a day after Christmas on December 26.
3. Day 3
   Dedicated to Saint John, the youngest of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus as per the New Testament, this day is marked on December 27.
4. Day 4
   Childermas or the Innocents’ Day falls on December 28. It is the Feast of the Innocents, a Christian feast held in memory of the massacre of young children in Bethlehem by King Herod.
5. Day 5
   In honor of Saint Thomas Becket, who was considered a saint and martyr by both the Anglican Communism and the Catholic Church, Day 5 is marked on December 29.
6. Day 6
   December 30 is celebrated in honor of the Benedictine monk Saint Egwin of Evesham.
7. Day 7
   New Year’s Eve or December 31 is another important day among the 12.
8. Day 8
   In honor of Mother Mary, New Year is celebrated on January 1.
9. Day 9
   January 2 is marked in honor of Saint Basil and Saint Gregory Nazianzen.
10. Day 10
    In honor of the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, this day falls on January 3.
11. Day 11
    In honor of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, who founded the first American congregation of religious sisters, the Sisters of Charity, the day is celebrated on January 4.
12. Day 12
    The last day or January 5 is in honor of Saint John Nepomucene Neumann who was the first American bishop.

In some traditions, January 6 is considered as the Twelfth day or Twelfth night; with December 26 being considered as the first day.