Twelve Days of Christmas

The Twelve Days of Christmas are (depending on differing authorities and sources) either the days from December 26 to January 6, (January 6 being the Epiphany), or the days from Christmas through the eve January 5 of Epiphany. Arguing in favor of the latter is that it coincides more closely with the liturgical Christmas season. However, no less an authority than the 19th century folklorist Sir James George Frazer, favors the December 26 - January 6 interpretation: The last of the mystic twelve days is Epiphany or Twelfth Night ... (The Golden Bough, 1922)

Related Topics:
December 26 - January 6 - Epiphany - Christmas - January 5 - 19th century - Sir James George Frazer - Twelfth Night

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Taking its name from the season (which is also known as Twelvetide), "Twelve Days of Christmas" is a traditional English-language Christmas song, or Christmas carol.

Related Topics:
Christmas - Christmas carol

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The date of the song's first performance is not known, though it was used in European and Scandinavian traditions as early as the 16th century. An interesting fact about this song is that the total number of presents given (counting 12 partridges, 11 × 2 turtle doves...) may be calculated as:

Related Topics:
Europe - Scandinavia - 16th century - Presents

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:sum_{d=1}^{12}sum_{n=1}^{d}n

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which is 364, 1 less than the number of days in a year.

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