I've known folks who think it's the 12 days leading UP to Christmas. Not so. It's December 25th, Christmas day, through January 5th, the eve of Feast of the Epiphany ( January 6). It might be thought of as well as 12/26 through 1/6. Basically, the post-Christmas events. Whichever tradition you follow, it extends the feeling of Christmas--family time, presents, food, fun.
I was born in Cuba, as were all my siblings and, natch, my parents. When I was little, I got gifts on January 6, left under my bed by the Three Wise Men, who brought gifts to the young Jesus. Here in Miami, there's a tradition in the Latin community to have a Three Kings Day Parade. (Not just here. All over the nation, but hey...)
Tangent: For those of you with great and/or weird senses of humor, you'd love the King Mango Strut--are you listening, Carb Tripper? Heh. The Strutters may need heavy coats and boots this year!
Because a niece is going out of town with her kids for December's holidays, my family will be harking back to the old tradition and exchanging gifts on the 6th of next month. I've advocated for this change for years: you can really get deals at those After Christmas sales, and you avoid the holiday shopping nightmare that happens post-Thanksgiving. I'm all over that. :)
Anyway, as you've noticed, surely, we're barraged by Christmas carols lately. Not a bad thing. I love Christmas music and singing along. In honor of the recent challenges (and current) hosted by Allan of Almost Gastric Bypass blog, I am belting out "The Sons and Spawn Challenge 12 Days of Christmas". No, it's not funny. It's almost all too real. A lot of what I've been eating (minus the briny turkey, as I didn't make the turkey for Thanksgiving. But his turkey sounded yummy and I wish he HAD made it for me. )
If you're a challenge mate, just change it to the stuff YOU are eating these challengey days. Make your own Spawny carol.
For brevity's sake, I'll just do the LAST stanza and list the days altogether. Feel free to sing out loud. It burns more calories than just reading:
On the Challenges of Christmas, Sir Allan gave to me:
Twelve water wagons
Eleven lists of lite meals
Ten egg white omelettes
Nine briny turkeys
Eight cups of decaf
Seven scooped out bagels
Six spoons for measures
FIVE PROTEIN SHAKES!
Four frozen bars
Three berry salads
Two apples, baked...
And a bowl full of low-cal veggies.
6 comments:
That is great! I love it!
Cute! I'm going with that idea. Check out my blog for my own version of the SPAWN SONG. xx
It is believed that the pre-christian Nordic religions would honor the 12 nights following winter solstice. There would be gatherings with meals and storytelling, and the women were not allowed to hang laundry to dry, and in many regions a bit of food or milk would be left out at night for spirits etc. Scientists believe that this is where the twelve nights of christmas came from, so it would only make sense to have them start AFTER 12/24. ^^
[new follower] I did not know that! Thats interesting.
Very interesting!!!!
Thanks for the comment you left on my blog, it was very sweet!! I have to keep reminding myself that maintaining is sooo much better than gaining!!! =)
Breanne
www.ladylapband.com
Ah, this is hilarious! Thanks for composing. How serendiptious that you will be celebrating on a meaningful date.
My husband didn't really celebrate Christmas growing up and so we have always flown off to some far away land over Christmas. Now that we have the Little Man we are trying to get it together to make some traditions for him.
Neither of us is bowled over by the holiday so, meh, guess the Little Man will have to endure our lack of enthusiasm the rest of his life...
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