The evening of the 5th of January is Twelfth Night. Where does the twelve come from?
Traditionally, people thought of Christmas as being a twelve day festival.
The twelve days of Christmas began on what is now Boxing Day, the day after Christmas. They began after the religious observances of Christmas were over, and were the time for merry-making. Six of the days fell in the year that was ending; the other six fell in the year that was coming.
Most work would stop during this time, giving everyone a break.
Twelfth Night was the night before the twelfth day. It was the evening of the 11th day, the 5th of January. The actual twelfth day of Christmas is called Epiphany.
Twelfth Night used to be a great deal of fun. Parties would be held, practical jokes played, and there would be feasting, singing, charades and dancing.
A Twelfth Night Cake was an integral part of the evening.
Shakespeare’s play, Twelfth Night, takes place on Twelfth Night. It is a romantic comedy about role reversals, deceptions and comedic disorder appropriate for the tone of the holiday. It has been re-imagined by every generation since it was debuted in 1602.