Interesting Facts About The 12 Days Of Christmas

Interesting facts... We have been taught that the 12 days of Christmas is the period in Christian theology that marks the span between the birth of Christ and the coming of the Magi.

However, December 25 is not the birthdate of Jesus. In fact, we don’t know the exact date bcuz in the days that Jesus of Nazareth lived most people of the Jewish faith did not make note of their exact birth date. It is most likely that Jesus of Nazareth was born in the fall after harvest and not in the winter since that is when taxes were collected and also why shepherds would have had their flocks in the pastures. But where does the December date come from? In approximately 350 CE it was Pope Julius I who chose December 25th to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ likely to steer people towards unification of people on the path of Christianity by celebrating the birth Jesus rather than the festival of Saturnalia. Further the date was convienent since the date coincided with the winter solstice and the Jewish Hannukah, which were already times of celebration.

As for the 12 days between the birth of Jesus and the three wise men visiting, Christians have been taught that the 12 days of Christmas begins on December 25 (Christmas) and runs through January 6 (the Epiphany, sometimes also called Three Kings’ Day). However, as they were coming from at least 1000 miles away, it would have been a much longer time difference than 12 days. They would have been walking or travelling by camel in a caravan that would have taken them at least several months but likely more. We can see this by the fact that it mentions they visited Jesus’s house (not manger) and that Herod ( the king at that time) was furious bcuz the Magi did not return to tell him where Jesus was so he ordered the slaughter of all boys in Bethlehem two years old and younger.

In light of these facts, i find it interesting how attached some are to these traditions that were not based in truth. Instead of being focussed on the propaganda the early churches and emporers created and religion instilled in their parishioners, wouldn’t it be more beneficial to see the blessing that Jesus was as a man who not only loved his Father, God but who trailblazed a path we could all follow, not of any particular religion but of loving others unconditionally and forming a personal loving and respectful relationship with God, our Creator?