Twelfth Night 2023 Date and Significance: Know All About History and Celebrations Of The Day That Marks The End Of Christmas Season

Twelfth Night, also known as Epiphany Eve, is a festival celebrated worldwide by the Christian community. Twelfth Night is marked on the last night of the Twelve Days of Christmas, marking the coming of the Epiphany. The special occasion is celebrated differently by countries around the world depending on the different traditions. Twelfth Night 2023 will be celebrated on January 5 annually and is followed by Epiphany on January 6. This year, Twelfth Night 2023 falls on a Thursday. Food and drinks are the centre of the celebrations in modern times during the special occasion. As we celebrate Twelfth Night 2023, here’s all you need to know about the history and significance of the day that marks the end of the Christmas season. 12 Days of Christmas Significance: Know All About When the Days Begin, Their Association With the Christmas Carol and How They Are Celebrated.

Twelfth Night History

Twelfth Night is an age-old celebration that dates back to 567 A.D. when the Council of Tours proclaimed the twelve days from Christmas to Epiphany as a sacred and festive season. They established the duty of Advent fasting in preparation for the feast. As per Christopher Hill and William J. Federer, this was done to solve the administrative problem for the Roman Empire as it tried to coordinate the solar Julian calendar with the lunar calendars of its provinces in the east.

Twelfth Night marks the end of the Christmas festivities. According to historical records, in medieval and Tudor England, Candlemas traditionally marked the end of the Christmas season. A popular Twelfth Night tradition was to have a bean and pea hidden inside a Twelfth-night cake.

Twelfth Night Significance

On the evening of January 5, people around the world ring in the last night of Christmas with all its traditions, including cakes, music, and festive decorations. The day is celebrated with feasting and drinking, where families come together and have a joyful time. Many cultures have their own unique traditions associated with Twelfth Night celebrations. The popular customs related to Twelfth Night include eating king's cake, singing Christmas carols, and attending church services, among others. On this occasion, special cakes and pastries, such as the tortell and king cake, are baked on the Twelfth Night and eaten the following day for the Feast of the Epiphany celebrations.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 05, 2023 10:10 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).