On the Twelfth Day of Christmas…
So, welcome to the much anticipated 2012. The year that has been prophesised about for millennia is finally upon us. 
Whether it’s to be the year of the London Olympics, the Chinese year of the Dragon or the year the world ends…
Although the festivities of Christmas and New Year have almost come to a close, there’s still one last old British tradition we mustn’t forget…Today is the ‘Twelfth Day’. It’s the traditional end of the Christmas festive season and there’s more history and folklore to it than just the twelve drummers drumming!
The Twelfth Day is when all Christmas decorations should be taken down, lest we incur ourselves bad luck for the year ahead.
In Victorian times, the Twelfth Day of Christmas was a day of mischief, when tricks and jokes were played on friends and neighbours. It was marked by the drinking of Wassail – a warming ale seasoned with spices and honey. People would drink to each other’s health and drink to the good health of the crops and apple trees to ensure a good harvest for the year ahead. An essential part of the traditions is also the Holly Man – you might be lucky enough to spot one dancing through the streets today, decked in evergreen foliage to symbolise life throughout the winter months.
So why not revive our roots and indulge in a celebration that’s over a thousand years old.
A happy Twelfth Night to all.
