Twelfth Night
When is twelfth night? This is something we need to know.
I am often confused, because some people say that it is the night of the 5th of January and others say that it falls on the night of the sixth. Time to clear this up!
Twelfth Night, if you belong to the Catholic Church, is on the 6th as they count the twelve days from Boxing Day. The Church of England counts the twelve days from Christmas Day. Therefore, Protestant twelfth night is on the 5th and Catholic twelfth night is on the 6th.
On the 6th of January, if you see a Christmas tree still up, the household is Catholic or lazy (maybe both! No offence) or Protestants, or those who don’t believe in all the bad luck rumours.
I’m very glad I’ve cleared that up! Christmas decorations must come down at the right time. Some people believe it can attract bad luck by taking the Christmas decorations down too early—or too late!
Q & A
Q. When is it too early?
A. Before the passing of the twelfth night.
Q. When is it too late?
A. If they are not down by twelfth night you must leave them up until Candlemas Day on the 2nd of February. Don’t ask me why.
The Holly Man
Twelfth Night is when the Holly Man asserts his role as the mid-winter king. It will be the night of his victory in the winter solstice battle over his old adversary, the Oak Man. The Oak Man will limp away into the woods to nurse his wounds for six months. Time to recover and heal, and later, to re-emerge at the next Midsummer Solstice. Once again to attack and usurp the King of the dark days of winter, the Holly Man.
Q. How should one celebrate twelfth night?
A. With a good wassailing! That’s how!
Wha’? What is a wassail?
To quote my dictionary, wassailing is—
“Wæs hæil”, which translates ‘be in good health!’. It means ‘Cheers!’ It is a toast to your health. The reply in Old Norse (brought here no doubt by those dastardly Viking invaders) is “Ves hail” (sounds to me like vessel! Drinking vessel, perhaps?). Its translation means ‘drink hail’. A way of saying ‘drink good health.’ I’m all for that! In which case, I wish you all a jolly good Wæs hæil!
Wæs Hæil! (cheers!)
Time for a jolly good wassail!
Here We Come A-Wassailing
Here we come a-wassailing among the leaves so green,
Here we come a-wassailing so fair to be seen.
Love and joy come to you
And to you a wassail too,
And God bless you and send you a happy New Year
And God send you a happy New Year!
Traditional Folk Song
How to celebrate 12th Night in London!
In London, (pre-Covid) there is a festival at Thames Bankside where now stands the rebuilt Globe Theatre.
While waiting for a boat to take me upriver, I took this shot of the Sam Wanamaker re-creation of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre on Bankside.
In a normal year, this stretch of Thameside would see Twelfth Night festivities. Now, there will be no wandering group of players outside this wonderful playhouse.
Other years have seen the Lions Part Actors in a Mummery play (early panto) and the Holly Man Procession celebrating twelfth night along this stretch of river. Not to mention the serving of mead with a jolly good wassailing!
Old Songs
King Henry the eighth wrote about the Holly and the ivy in a song titled Green Groweth the Holly. The holly (and the ivy) is a centuries old traditional symbol of wintertime. Whereas the oak, being a “greenwood” tree, as Henry VIII refers to it, belongs to the summer.
Green Groweth The Holly
Green groweth the holly, so doth the ivy.
Though winter blasts blow never so high, green groweth the holly.
As the holly groweth green and never changeth hue,
So I am, ever hath been, unto my lady true.
As the holly groweth green with ivy all alone
When fLowers cannot be seen and greenwood leaves be gone.
King Henry VIII
William Shakespeare mentions the holly in his play As You Like It. I know I should really quote something from his play Twelfth Night considering the title of this blog! But heigh ho! I didn’t!
“Heigh ho! sing heigh ho! unto the green holly:
Most friendship is feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then, heigh ho, the holly!
This life is most jolly.”
William Shakespeare, As You Like It
Heigh ho!
It is interesting to note that the play Twelfth Night written by William Shakespeare has nothing really to do with twelfth night other than that it was staged in 1602 on the night that was the night to take down decorations. Guess what? Twelfth night in Shakespeare’s day was Candlemas 2nd of February! If you have taken your decorations down 5th/6th January, put them back up! It isn’t twelfth night yet!
How to celebrate 12th Night in Spain!
If you happen by chance to be in Spain on 12th Night, it is altogether a very different affair. I was lucky to witness their ebullient celebrations on my birthday some years ago. The Spanish call Twelfth Night the Feast of the Kings and open their presents on this night (which suited me, being my birthday! Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to me! 🎶 🎂).
Lodged in a mediaeval village in the mountains to the north of the island of Mallorca where the ancient streets are steep stone steps that climb through narrow thoroughfares, weaving around beautiful old stone houses. The Mallorcans proceed through the village by candlelight. They carry aloft a gilded effigy of the Lady Madonna all around the streets. The occasion is full of joy, candlelight and wine!
Thank you!
Thank you for reading my blog! Wishing you health and happiness in 2022!
Lesley lives in the City of London Square Mile. An artist, actor and sculptor (her first ceramic sculpture won the V&A inspired by… Award). Scenic artist & book illustrator, playwright, (her musical play, Rapscallion performed in inner city schools and theatre school); TV dancer; Animator and illustrator for TV production. Set up Pinecone Studios Ltd and IIMSI Ltd drama and filmmaking workshops in London – producing award-winning films made by children.
LesleyScoble.com 
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