Twelfth Night

[At home in NZ]

As Peter says in the newsletter of 26 Dec 2020 I also remember Twelfth Night was the day my dad took the Christmas decorations down. I continued that tradition for many years until I realised nobody else still had their decorations up.
Also, having a Catholic upbringing I was aware that Twelfth Night was The Epiphany.
Not able to find the right words to express the meaning myself I resorted to the web and found this:
Christians believe that the 12 days of Christmas mark the amount of time it took after the birth of Jesus for the magi, or wise men, to travel to Bethlehem for the Epiphany when they recognized him as the son of God.

I have never associated the 6 January with anything else.

 

[Pauline]

I have always understood Twelfth Night to be 5 January. The 5th is the 12th and last day of Christmas, and being the day on which Christmas celebrations end, is the day on which it is customary to take down Christmas decorations.

6 January is the Feast of the Epiphany, and the start of the season of Epiphany. Some traditions leave their lights and decorations up throughout Epiphany.

But there is no official or universal agreement on the date of Twelfth Night. Some traditions refer to Epiphany as the 12th day after Christmas, with either Epiphany Eve (5th) or the evening of Epiphany (6th) being referred to as Twelfth Night.

 

[Bob Spiers]

Peter's Xmas 2020 Newsletter mention of 12th Night set me off on the many times I have crossed swords on the subject of Christmas, both when it starts and when it ends, and will begin at the end.

As a child there was no question as to when the 'trimmings' (and in Birmingham decorations were known by no other name) came down. That, as Peter reminds for his own childhood, was 6th January. Both grandmothers brought up their respective offspring to honour this date so the trimmings came down on 6th January, referred to as Twelfth Night.

Then I married and moved to rural south Northamptonshire where the majority view favoured the 5th January. My mother-in-law insisted that this was the day for removing decorations (and yes decorations now held sway) - so 5th January it was. As it was also traditional in the area for the work to be done by the ladies (and men were mostly at work anyway) I went along with the status quo. Besides - as someone with a mathematical bent - if counting began with Christmas Day (which seemed to me logical) - then the 5th January won me over then as now.

But my views on when decorations should go up have always been strong and voiced many times previously, and with a second wife who shares my views there is no household argument on the subject. Besides she takes little part in the putting up or taking down. I never 'deck the halls' earlier than the week before Christmas, but like to await the 5th January before taking them down with, perhaps, a tiny bit of guilt for not waiting until the next day!

My sister in Australia (and coincidently my grand daughter-in-law in the UK) insist decorations go up on the 1st December, with the latter posting photos on Facebook to prove it. I believe in both cases they are taken down on the 1st or 2nd January depending on whether New Years day (a Bank holiday) is spent in other ways. My UK sister also likes her Tree on show (artificial with built in lights) the first week of January, and thinks the day after New Years day is the right time to return the Tree to its box and the loft. (So twelfth night plays no part).

As for cousins, including those still Birmingham based, there appears to be no fixed time for putting up the 'trimmings' (I am so pleased they still refer to them as that) but all far earlier than cousin Bobby who they all know doesn't even like mention of the 'C' word before the second week of December. As for the taking down, I could not find two the same and few even wait until the 5th January. "Now't so funny as folk" springs to mind and I wonder how many others have set times for the putting up and taking down of Christmas decorations.

 

[LynneWK]

Being an ex Brummie I agree with Ron, they were called trimmings in our house too and we took them down on 6th January. I still do Now living in Cumbria in very strange times I noticed the first trimmings going up on 1st November 2020 at one house I pass. Presumably to cheer everyone up. It will be interesting to see what day they will be taken down.
With reference to 'Swallows and Amazons' flying boat. I believe they were manufactured on the banks of Lake Windermere (White Cross Bay) during world war two, having been moved from it's previous location in Rochester Kent where it would have been more of a target for the German bombers. I wonder if Arthur Ransome had a Chrystal Ball and could see into the future?
Peter also mentions in his news letter the arrival of the first non white child to his school. Our headmaster informed us of the arrival of two non white girls arriving in our primary school and asked us to make them welcome. This we did at play time by holding hands with them and making a huge circle and playing the playground game of 'Farmers in his den'. After this I went up to one of them and pinched her arm. Not because she was a different colour but because she was fat. I had never seen a fat child before and thought she may have been blown up with a bicycle pump and would deflate if I pinched her arm. How bad was that? Not a very good example of a welcome

 

[Bob Spiers]

Being an ex Brummie I agree with Ron

Two things to say, the first my name is Bob and the second to remind you that I recently messaged with someone via Ancestry and explained I was an ex Brummie, only to be (nicely) shot down in flames to be told, once a Brummie always a Brummie. He lives in Wales as I do in Kent, but would have none of this 'ex' malarky. How nice however to find someone brought up to call seasonal decorations' Trimmings'...I shall have to ask him if he still does in Wales, because sadly I now call them decorations.

 

[LynneWK]

Traitor 'Bob'. Have you lost your accent too?

 

[Gillian]

In Finland, 6 January is called Loppiainen, which means 'ending'. It is the day on which the Christmas tree is stripped of its decorations and removed. Otherwise, the main decorations consist of flowers - hyacinths, tulips, amaryllis, poinsettia - and they stay where they are of course, that is, if still alive. Out of doors, the lights (rarely coloured) on the trees and bushes all stay up because they aren't so much Christmas decorations as winter brighteners.

 

[Bob Spiers]

Traitor 'Bob'. Have you lost your accent too?

Yes hands up to relating these days to 'decorations' but on one point I will not be moved, that is using the Brummie spelling of Mom and not Mum as used, it seems, in the rest of the country. (Strangely enough Mom is also used in the US). As to loss of accent, yes I think it fair to say I have in the main lost my Brummie accent, and definitely if I take note of my Brummie cousins who insist I talk posh. But even so having lived in Kent for over 40 years -and away from Birmingham since the early 60's - I occasionally give the game away with an odd pronunciation or inflection, to be asked.'."what part of the Midlands are you from"?

I must tell of the first time I was aware that Brummie speak was different from Queen's English. It was in my first job as an office boy and late for work. When asked for a reason I said (and here I use Brummie speak rather than spelling) the BUZZ was late. I was asked what sound a Buzzer made, and answered Buzz; and again what was late, and again answered Buzz. There followed a lecture explaining that it was in fact (as it sounded to me) a BUSS that was late and not a BUZZ. I can honestly say I have ever known ever since how to pronounce Bus and it is only when I step back into my Brummie haunts (visiting family and friends) that I once again learn that Buzzies have not been running to time which brings music to my ears.

 

[canadianbeth]

I know nothing about Twelfth Night, other than that it is the title of a play. I have not heard it mentioned at all here in Canada. We do have a large Ukrainian population however and their Christmas is January 7th. Two of my husband's sisters wee born January 6th (10 years apart) and we always referred to it as Ukrainian Christmas Eve, even though we are not of that nationality.

Apart from the fact that most everyone thinks Christmas decorations should never go up until after Remembrance Day, we ourselves do not start until at least December 1st and I take them down on January 1st. Shops, of course, have theirs up starting in October. This year we hardly bothered since we no longer have a tree; all I did was put out a few things and my collection of snowpeople.

 

[At home in NZ]

All of the above makes very interesting reading, thanks everybody.
I must admit, I have, this morning, taken down the decals that were on the outsides of some of our windows, they were 'Merry Christmas', the face of the man we call Santa (use your own variation) and a couple of bits of holly and snowflakes.
I have decided that all our indoor decorations will come down on 1 Jan. Our coloured static lights are festooned with one set across the pictures and paintings and the second set across the dresser (wall unit). There is a door in between with a mini Santa hanging down from the centre, he can't find the chimney .

Some of the houses in our street decorate the outside with lights and one year it was really quite magical. But there are many more less this year. The people at one particular house were taking their lights down in the morning on the day after Boxing Day this year and when I saw that I wondered why they'd even bothered.

 

[Bob Spiers]

Speaking of external Christmas decorations in the community they have been quite abundant and colourful this year, although its been a long time since we had external lights and gave the light sets away in the end. Across the way from us - albeit at an oblique angle - is a house that has chasing blue and white lights on 24/7 (i.e night and day) at just below bedroom window height, as well as static white lights on both front fences. They went up sometime in the first week of December and have never been off since. They are still on as I type (morning of the 28th) and no doubt will survive until the New Year. I'm afraid we find this 'too much in-the-face' (if you know that term) and cannot understand why they have to be on during daytime and will be glad when they are taken down. If that sounds very Scrooge-ish, well so be it.

 

[Susan48]

I'm afraid we find this 'too much in-the-face' (if you know that term) and cannot understand why they have to be on during daytime and will be glad when they are taken down. If that sounds very Scrooge-ish, well so be it.

There are many inflatable santas and snowmen - a whole family of them in one front garden - in our neighbourhood as well as various other large external decorations. They may look quite pretty when lit up after dark, but sagging deflated santas in the cold light of day is not a pretty sight. I'm with you, Bob, in not finding such things not to my taste.

 

[At home in NZ]

I'm afraid we find this 'too much in-the-face' (if you know that term) and cannot understand why they have to be on during daytime and will be glad when they are taken down. If that sounds very Scrooge-ish, well so be it.

Not Scrooge - ish at all Bob. 'In yer face' is quite a common expression and I also use OTT (Over The Top). I bet the lad in you wants to pop each bulb with a gun

 

[Pauline]

A few people round us put up their outside lights around the end of November/beginning of December, but most of the ones we can see are fairly modest displays and get turned off overnight and during daylight hours. Although this year some lights went up on the early side, we found it added a much needed bit of cheerfulness to life.

 

[Bob Spiers]

I bet the lad in you wants to pop each bulb with a gun

How did you guess?

 

[Bob Spiers]

Although this year some lights went up on the early side, we found it added a much needed bit of cheerfulness to life.

Yes agree about adding a bit of cheerfulness and the day before Christmas Eve driving home after a late afternoon medical appointment (a little after 5pm and of course dark in the UK) took a detour just to take in some of the quite remarkable Christmas displays in the front gardens of houses and bungalows. We finished up by driving along the high street where local shops have gone the extra mile with endless streams of lights and illuminated Trees. That so close to Christmas day did indeed cheer us up.

 

[Margery]

much needed bit of cheerfulness to life.

When I mentioned to our next-door neighbour that he hadn't put up his usual lights around the front verandah, he said that there wasn't anything to celebrate. Harrumph!

Christmas displays in the front gardens of houses

We have just returned from a few days staying with our daughter and the decorated houses in her street were quite a draw-card, with people visiting just to see the lights. A very friendly feeling with strangers calling Christmas greetings to each other.

 

[At home in NZ]

the decorated houses in her street were quite a draw-card

We have an annual 'Christmas Lights Trail' which wasn't so extensive this year. The idea is you nominate your house for people to visit then the sponsor and the newspaper get together to publicise it. There are prizes to be had too, for voting for the best house. There was one missing this year, an older man who had decorated his house and his neighbour's for many years died not long before Christmas, not Covid related, quite sad.
The attached is from an entry in 2017 and shows the lengths some people go to.

 

[Margery]

shows the lengths some people go to.

Just lovely and similar to here. I trust that the lights are solar powered?

 

[canadianbeth]

That does look like a bit of overkill. We missed seeing any lights this year since we have had no reason to leave our home once it gets dark. Other years, when going to the community hall for events, we would drive around and look at what everyone else had done to decorate the outside of their homes, but, since there have no events, we have just stayed home.