The Origins of the Twelve Days of Christmas

The Twelve Days of Christmas form one of the key elements of the festive season, yet the precise dates and significance of this period are often misunderstood, because the Twelve Days begin on Christmas Day and not before. The last day is the 5th January, known as Twelfth Night. and following day is the Epiphany, an important Christian feast marking the end of Christmastide.