What are the 12 days of Christmas?

December 25 to January 5

The Twelve Days begin on Christmas Day and run through January 5, the day before Epiphany. Counting differs a little by church. United Methodists, for one, describe thirteen days, from sunset on Christmas Eve through January 6.

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Advent and the Christmas story

What is Twelfth Night?
The evening that closes the Twelve Days, January 5 for churches that count from Christmas Day. Some traditions keep it January 6.
Is the song a secret catechism?
There's no evidence for it. The idea was proposed in 1979 without proof, and the song seems to have begun as a children's memory game.
When does the Christmas season end?
January 6 for many Protestant churches. For Catholics in the US it ends with the Baptism of the Lord, January 10 in 2027.

Last checked Monday, November 9, from the Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Church.

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