Twelfth Night (holiday)
Christian holiday / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Twelfth Night (also known as Epiphany Eve depending upon the tradition) is a Christian festival on the last night of the Twelve Days of Christmas, marking the coming of the Epiphany.[1] Different traditions mark the date of Twelfth Night as either 5 January or 6 January, depending on whether the counting begins on Christmas Day or 26 December.[2][3][4] January 6 is celebrated as the feast of Epiphany, which begins the Epiphanytide season.[5][6]
Twelfth Night | |
---|---|
Also called | Epiphany Eve |
Observed by | Christians |
Type | Christian |
Significance | evening prior to Epiphany |
Observances |
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Date | 5 or 6 January |
Frequency | annual |
Related to |
A superstition in some English-speaking countries suggests it is unlucky to leave Christmas decorations hanging after Twelfth Night, a tradition also variously attached to Candlemas (which marks the end of Epiphanytide on 2 February), as well as Good Friday, Shrove Tuesday, and Septuagesima.[7] Other popular customs include eating king cake, singing Christmas carols, chalking the door, having one's house blessed, merrymaking, and attending church services.[8][9]