| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| country lawyer |
Posted - Jan 05 2007 : 1:30:16 PM
Tomorrow is the 12th day of Christmas! Does anyone do anything special to celebrate it? I've also heard it referred to as "Olde Christmas," "Little Christmas," and "Epiphany." In my childhood home, we always took down the Christmas tree on Olde Christmas. Not a day before, not a day after! I've also heard of special cookie-making parties. Any other traditions or rituals surrounding this day?
"The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time."
James Taylor
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| 11 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| KarenP |
Posted - Jan 07 2007 : 2:06:20 PM
Betty Jo,
Please post your pictures, I;d love to see it.
When did you put you tree up?
Did you have to water it some how?
KarenP
"Purest Spring Water in the World" |
| bboopster |
Posted - Jan 07 2007 : 10:50:56 AM
Hello Bramble, We hung it that way mostly because we have little floor space to give up for a tree. I was reminded when my youngest son saw the tree, that we had seen one that way at the Milwaukee Museum display about 12 years ago and I told him that some day I would hang my tree. I didn't remember but he did and I think he was about 6 at the time. From what I've discovered is that it is a Europeon tradition that dates back 100's of years and it was a symbol of christianity to those who were prosucuted because of their faith. Hanging it did solve many problems like babys and cats getting at it. The tree also stayed much moister and did not lose it's neddles as fast so that made it much cleaner. I will try to post a pic later. It really did spark a lot of conversation. We also learn some things that we need to change for next year. New house new traditions.
3 Blue Start Mother and Proud of it!
Pray for our troops to come home safe and soon.
Enjoying the road to the simple life :>) |
| bramble |
Posted - Jan 06 2007 : 8:50:42 PM
Betty Jo- Did you hang your tree that way because you are of Slovic descent? They have a tradition were they do this and it has a name I forget but they do not refer to it as their Christmas tree, it's a type of "ornament"! Growing up there was a house that always did this and it remained a mystery as to why until I met a niece of these people years later and she explained!
with a happy heart |
| bboopster |
Posted - Jan 06 2007 : 07:38:59 AM
Hello,
My husband and I have been trying to start new Christmas Holiday traditions as we both are so fed up with the retail end of the hoilday. If I see or hear one more commercial for jewlery or buy yourself the Cadilac you deserve this year I think I will shout. Our family is very big and this year we did not exchange gifts but just visited , baked, ate, and enjoyed the season and the birth of our Christ. This year we hung our tree upsided down, but after reading this I think we might start to celebrate the Olde Christmas. Thanks for the idea!
3 Blue Start Mother and Proud of it!
Pray for our troops to come home safe and soon.
Enjoying the road to the simple life :>) |
| brightmeadow |
Posted - Jan 06 2007 : 07:09:02 AM
When I was an exchange student in Spain, I found out that gifts were exchanged there on 3 Kings Day (Epiphany) instead of on Christmas.
I don't really follow that tradition here, of course, it would be too hard to convince my family of German ancestry to change, but I do wait until January 6 to take down Christmas decorations. Of course I don't usually put them up until the week before Christmas.
I like to celebrate the 'Christmas season' from Dec 25 till Jan 6.
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
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| bramble |
Posted - Jan 05 2007 : 9:02:47 PM
My family also celebrated this when all the grandparents were still living. The visiting and eating seemed to go on forever when you are a child and it was a very big family back then. We always went to my Grandparents church to celebrate Epiphany services, followed of course by more feasting. Some years WE had a visit from the 3 Wise Men who always had a small gift for every child and there was scripture read as well. We definitely knew the meaning of the holiday although some of those Wise Men bore a strange resemblance to the Great Uncles and the next door neighbor!
Now we celebrate the Orthodox holiday with our Ukranian friends and that has become a tradition for our little family that will probably go on indefinitely as this began with our parents who were friends, and now we are all married (some with kids) and the kids are all friends too. Kind of nice to get different perspectives on the celebration and extend it beyond that "retail frenzy". This seems to be a time for reflection and getting in touch with whatever your spiritual beliefs might be. Blessings to all your families in 2007.
with a happy heart |
| vintagechica |
Posted - Jan 05 2007 : 8:42:59 PM
Jan 6th is also 3 Kings Day in Mexico..the day the Kings visited Jesus in the manger and delivered their gifts. And like Mary Beth, the wisemen dont show up in the nativity until tomorrow.
Happy Three Kings Day!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A sure way to avoid housework...live outdoors.
www.vintagechica.typepad.com |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Jan 05 2007 : 6:36:06 PM
This will be our first year celebrating it some thanks to our dear Ellen (byhzgrace) who sent the kids 3 wise men day gifts to open tomorrow..they have been waiting since Christmas and are so excited. I know she celebrates the day big time..I hope she sees this and tells us all the details. I finally got the last of my Christmas stuff down today..after being sick and then just moving slow..I don't usually have it up even until new years!!
Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
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| happymama58 |
Posted - Jan 05 2007 : 4:21:16 PM
My family always took down the tree on Epiphany, the day the Wise Men arrived and the end of Christmas for us, and since we've been married we do the same thing. We do it in the morning, though, and follow it with a "picnic lunch" on the living room floor. We also watch one last Christmas movie -- majority rules on what we watch.
By the way, we do a similar thing when we put up the tree. DD and I clean house while the guys get all the boxes out the day after Thanksgiving. We decorate and then sit around and eat no-alarm chili and watch "The Grinch".
We're a pretty predictable family here at my house! 
Some people search for happiness; others create it.
http://happymama58.typepad.com/my_weblog/
Please visit me at www.marykay.com/pmiinch |
| Marybeth |
Posted - Jan 05 2007 : 2:50:00 PM
We always celebrated the Epiphany. That was the day the Wise Men were put into the Nativity scene. We celebrated it by reading the Nativity in the Bible (again) and singing 'We three Kings Of Orient Are' and like songs and then down came the Christmas tree. A real family thing. Something we don't do anymore. MB
www.strawberryhillsfarm.blogspot.com
www.day4plus.blogspot.com
"Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!" |
| sunshine |
Posted - Jan 05 2007 : 2:16:43 PM
Yep it is Epiphany tomorrow that is the day my grandmother takes down christmas. It is said that that is the day that christians celebrate the coming of the three wise men. At least it was when I was a kid and catholic which I am not catholic any more but I am still very much christian. This year we took christmas down early as we had been sick so much and with my uncle and all I wanted it down so I could think of other things than worrying about when christmas would be put away. But I too would love to hear of other traditions.
have a lovely day and may God bless you and keep you safe my blog http://sunshinescreations.blogspot.com
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