Twelve Days of Christmas..

[Stringaling]

Do any of you actually celebrate "The Twelve Days of Christmas"? My husbadn wants to do that this year and is actually disappointed that we put up the tree 6 days before Christmas. He intends to hold off ANY celebration until Christmas Day and wants to do something every day after for the entire 12 Days. He is extremely disappointed and upset that we will be going to my mother's for Christmas Eve, because it is before the twelve days. With his work schedule and lack of any days off the "celebrations" will be crammed into a couple of hours every evening and I am expected to cook and bake things during the day. I am not too keen on the idea. Does anyone else do this and how well does it work if you only have a couple hours a day to do it???

 

[Stringaling]

Hey, dear, you can't answer!!!

 

[ephraimanesti]

Do any of you actually celebrate "The Twelve Days of Christmas"? My husbadn wants to do that this year and is actually disappointed that we put up the tree 6 days before Christmas. He intends to hold off ANY celebration until Christmas Day and wants to do something every day after for the entire 12 Days. He is extremely disappointed and upset that we will be going to my mother's for Christmas Eve, because it is before the twelve days. With his work schedule and lack of any days off the "celebrations" will be crammed into a couple of hours every evening and I am expected to cook and bake things during the day. I am not too keen on the idea. Does anyone else do this and how well does it work if you only have a couple hours a day to do it???

Whatever means of celebration you, your husband, and your family choose, may you all be bound together with LOVE, PEACE, JOY, and UNITY as the glorious Birth In The Flesh of our Lord, God, and Savior approaches.

GLORY TO OUR LORD FOR DESCENDING TO US,
ephraimanesti

 

[Stringaling]

Whatever means of celebration you, your husband, and your family choose, may you all be bound together with LOVE, PEACE, JOY, and UNITY as the glorious Birth In The Flesh of our Lord, God, and Savior approaches.

GLORY TO OUR LORD FOR DESCENDING TO US,
ephraimanesti

But he is choosing it. Not me. I would love to hear anyone's opinions or experiences of this type of celebration...Thanks...

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

Wish I could help you, but I'm not familiar with the "Twelve Days" tradition.

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

But he is choosing it. Not me.

Why is he dictating the traditions you must follow for Christmas? Isn't this something that should be decided upon as a family??

 

[Oblio]

If nothing else, the 12 days are all feast days

 

[vanshan]

I think not starting the celebration until the Feast day is traditional. Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann said,
"
As Orthodox Christians, we begin the celebration of the Nativity of Christ — on December 25 — with a time of preparation. Forty days before the feast of the birth of Our Lord we enter the period of the Christmas Fast: to purify both soul and body to enter properly into and partake of the great spiritual reality of Christ’s Coming."

And here's a good article about why we should try to not pre-celebrate Christmas:

www.theologic.com/oflweb/xmas/precele.htm

Here's a small excerpt:

"Add to this the tradition of the "Twelve Days of Christmas" that begins on Christmas Day, and runs to January 5/18, the day before Theophany, the next great feast. The 'food fast' is most intense on the 12 days preceding December 25/January 7, and there is no fasting on the 12 days after Christmas, not on Wednesday or Friday! Again, what do you think this tells us? "


Hope some of this helps.

Basil

 

[vanshan]

Here's some brief advice about dealing with extended family:

www.theologic.com/oflweb/xmas/inlaws.htm

"Couples list problems with in-laws near the top of their gripe lists. Add holiday visits to the family mix and the emotional temperature often rises.

Why is this such a feverish mixture?

Leah Averick, author of How In-Laws Relate: It's All Relative, says when you go home, "Suddenly you're treated as the son or daughter you used to be." You become whatever role you played in the family, and spouses wonder what happened to the person they married.

What can help? Set up signals to break the old ties. For example, have a signal that lets your spouse know it's okay when his parents retell the same stories about his childhood.
Remember who comes first. [Be confident that your marriage and family together is most important.]
Talk about problems that may come up. For example, talk about how your sister-in-law deflates your self-esteem. Think of ways to cope with your feelings. You may decide to talk about your feelings, get away to visit friends, or take a walk. "


Basil

 

[Stringaling]

I think not starting the celebration until the Feast day is traditional. Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann said,
"
As Orthodox Christians, we begin the celebration of the Nativity of Christ — on December 25 — with a time of preparation. Forty days before the feast of the birth of Our Lord we enter the period of the Christmas Fast: to purify both soul and body to enter properly into and partake of the great spiritual reality of Christ’s Coming."

And here's a good article about why we should try to not pre-celebrate Christmas:

www.theologic.com/oflweb/xmas/precele.htm

Here's a small excerpt:

"Add to this the tradition of the "Twelve Days of Christmas" that begins on Christmas Day, and runs to January 5/18, the day before Theophany, the next great feast. The 'food fast' is most intense on the 12 days preceding December 25/January 7, and there is no fasting on the 12 days after Christmas, not on Wednesday or Friday! Again, what do you think this tells us? "


Hope some of this helps.

Basil

Okay dear husband, you've defended your position. I said you weren't supposd to comment. This is my thread!

 

[vanshan]

Okay dear husband, you've defended your position. I said you weren't supposd to comment. This is my thread!

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

This really sounds like an issue you two should discuss with your priest.

 

[Stringaling]

Edit: Edited per request

 

[vanshan]

:o

 

[HandmaidenOfGod]

Is there another priest you could contact in the area?

Perhaps via email?

It is important that as Orthodox Christians we have a Spiritual Father we can go to and not rely on our own understandings.