LL-L: "Holidays" LOWLANDS-L, 07.JAN.2000 (05) [E]

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From: john feather [johnfeather at sceptic1.freeserve.co.uk]
Subject: Holidays

Ron

I have commented to a couple of people recently that it is surprising that
commercial interests have not appropriated Epiphany or Twelfth Night to
boost post-Christmas sales. The only thing I know about the observation of
Twelfth Night nowadays is that Christmas decorations must be taken down no
later than then or bad luck will befall the household. A nice piece of
paganism to finish off the festivities!

There are sufficient Italians in Britain (or at least in London) for
imported panettone (a leavened Epiphany cake, in case other people don't
know it) to appear in supermarkets but I have never seen any display
material saying what it is for. I usually buy one but it never lasts even to
the end of the year.

In the minds of ordinary people the Epiphany has become conflated with the
Nativity, hence all those Wise Men on camels on Christmas cards. As regards
celebrations I wonder if the creation of the Boxing Day (26 December) Bank
Holiday, by giving people two days off  work, focussed attention on those
two days rather than on more diffuse fun over twelve days. But this wouldn't
explain the disappearance of Twelfth Night in the USA. Alternatively there
has just been a shift in the focus of the celebrations from Epiphany to
Christmas. Christmas Day is one of the "quarter days" and therefore used to
be primarily a day for doing business (especially settling debts) rather than
a
holiday.

One might think that the coincidence of Epiphany and Old Christmas Day after
the calendar reform of 1752 should have strengthened the desire to celebrate
on this day.

PS. "Boxing Day" is so-called because tradespeople traditionally asked for
their Christmas tip, pourboire or "box" on that day.

John Feather johnfeather at sceptic1.freeserve.co.uk

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