I love how our lives are woven together.
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Friday the 13th ?

 
 I am not one to rant on my blog but  . . .
I need to get this off my chest 
and out there to anyone who will listen
to my first blog rant

It wasn't like this when I was a little girl, 
I think  I first noticed this happening about ten years ago. 
Starting on December 13 or 14, 
depending on the calendar
and how they count days I guess,
 a blogger or business will announce the 
Twelve days of Christmas



um...people, people, people,
today is not the first day of anything related to Christmas.
     



I wasn't going to post this on my blog today.
but
When I logged onto the net and was slammed with 
 "Today is the First Day of Christmas"
I had to speak up.
NO IT IS NOT
Today December 13 is the Feast of Saint Lucy 
 and December 14 is the Feast of Saint John of the Cross
 I repeat:  
The First Day of Christmas is . . Christmas.
 Why is this so hard for people get? 
 Look at it this way.....
.
Let's look at another religious holiday ....Easter.....
 The First Day of Easter is not  
Ash Wednesday,  Palm Sunday or Good Friday.
Easter starts on . . . Easter.
So why do so many people have such a hard time 
understanding that The Twelve Days of Christmas 
begin on Christmas Day and run through Epiphany?   
ever since I was little . . .
 Epiphany was the day we take down the tree.....
which is a pagan morphed into christian tradition....
but that's another post
In our house....
we celebrate Yule and Christmas .
    Right now I am preparing for both.  
  I will celebrate Yule on the 21st
 and when December 25th rolls around
 I will celebrate Christmas . . .  for twelve glorious days ! 
Just like the Christmas celebrations that I remember. 

So what about you?
What do you celebrate this time of year?
and
When do you start?

9 comments:

Leslie Hanna said...

Even *I* know this! Sigh.

Wendy G. said...

Great post! There is only one Christmas Day around here.

Carola Bartz said...

I grew up and lived in Germany for more than 40 years. We don't have the twelve days of Christmas. We have Christmas (which lasts until Jan. 6, Epiphany) and we have Advent. So here in our house we celebrate advent with an advent wreath and an advent calendar for my daughter. Okay, we bring in the Christmas tree much earlier. In Germany we used to get it on Dec. 23, decorated it on Dec, 24 (with real candles) and celebrated Christmas Eve. Now we bring in the tree on the second of Advent, but we still celebrate Christmas Eve - and I think I also will, and I hope my daughter always will. For me Christmas Eve has a very special magic.

Janet said...

Absolutely correct! Don't even get me started about the fact that at this point they are putting out Christmas decorations in the stores before Halloween is over!!! Great rant!

Millie said...

It's Advent now, and we prepare for Christmas. I love the preparation in my heart and in my house.

susie said...

Well Done!
We celebrate much the same as your family. Growing up we got a real tree and decorated it on the 23rd which was also my Dad's B-Day. Having a large family...All of us have kept the tradition going in the same way and My family looks forward to Christmas, Eve & Day and all the days to follow into Epiphany. This year we are having a big get together on Dec21st to celebrate Yule.
Retail is, what it is- and will never be anything more than about the dollar that keeps things revolving. It is up to us to remind and remember what Holidays are for and why we have them in the first place. It's good to know you & many friends are still about tradition and family. That is so important....I loved this post my friend!
warm hugs,
susie

Cindy said...

Hello Marianne!
I finished my Christmas decorating early this year, getting ready for our open house on the 8th. I have had a bad cold since. Today I decided I have the energy to at least get caught up on my blogging friends.... yes, I consider you one, and you never disappoint! Thank you for the inspiration and the ideas! Hugs!

Unknown said...

Thank you for saying what I have wanted to say! It is frustrating to see. I think Americans have such a hard time with this because after Christmas and the exchange of gifts, it's over for most. They don't realize Christmas is just day one of twelve! Thanks for setting everyone straight!

Nigel said...

There's 12 days of Christmas!? I thought one was bad enough!

Seriously, it's not just the '12 days of pre-Christmas', it's the whole commercialised spend spend spend lunacy of it all.
I'm not Christian, but I feel sorry for my friends who are when I see one of their most important times of the year completely sidelined by money.
Thankfully the moneymen haven't figured out a way to spoil Midwinter :D