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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to feel quite so annoyed about this?

61 replies

VestaTilley · 08/12/2019 22:37

I've spotted on Instagram (always a bad start, but bear with me, this gets better) that lots of people are talking about "the twelve days of Christmas"- and assuming that that period starts on 1st December.

Are you kidding?? Is religious literacy and historical and cultural understanding in our country now so low that a high number of people don't know that the twelve days of Christmas starts ON CHRISTMAS DAY! (Ok, yes, I know about 5th/6th Jan disputed thing).

The twelve days, as I understand it, represent the progress of the Magi to visit Jesus, leading to Ephiphany. I know culturally now Christmas for most people (sadly) seems to end the day after Boxing Day, but FFS.

So we now have trees up at the he's of November, down on Boxing Day, and a huge number of people thinking it's just a commercial tat fest.

Yes, I know most people are not Christian, and many people just have Christmas as their mid winter festival, but for crying out loud!

And please don't start with "the Christians just nicked the date from the pagans anyway" yada yada. Yes, I know, but is it too much to ask that our general population is actually educated to a basic level about what our only real national, collective holiday is and when it takes place?

Rant over. If I had a shed I'd stomp off to it. Feel free to tell me to get a grip.

OP posts:
Original poster
VestaTilley · 08/12/2019 22:38

*end of November

OP posts:
OwlBeThere · 08/12/2019 22:39

The vast majority of British people aren’t religious so it’s not surprising they don’t know or care. Schools don’t teach it, people don’t go to church/Sunday school for the most part, there isn’t any reason for them to know.

ShirleyPhallus · 08/12/2019 22:40

Errrrrm, quite an overreaction there. Tbh, I didn’t know what it stood for beyond the lords a keeping, but I’d have assumed the 12 days before Christmas.

This wasn’t taught at school, I’m not religious so not really of high interest to me. I assume many people are the same.

thefluffysideofgrey · 08/12/2019 22:43

I agree and I'm an atheist.

It shows a woeful lack of understanding of the history of their own culture.

For the last thousand years or so, it has been a Christian festival. For that reason alone people should understand it.

It was pagan before that however Grin

Whatisthisfuckery · 08/12/2019 22:43

Yes, things like this really annoy me too. It’s like people are becoming stupider.

puds11 · 08/12/2019 22:46

I don’t think people learn or retain as much any more because the internet is so easily accessible.

MinervaSaidThat · 08/12/2019 22:47

YANBU. It's fine for general public not to know, but if you have an Insta account about it you should be accurate.

Original poster
VestaTilley · 08/12/2019 22:49

@thefluffysideofgrey thank you! I'm glad someone gets it. To be honest it is the cultural issue for me, as much as the religious one. Where's the sense of pride in people? It's one of our most important festivals and very few people seem bothered about it's actual meaning.

I'm possibly too invested in this Hmm

OP posts:
Original poster
VestaTilley · 08/12/2019 22:50

@Whatisthisfuckery yup; extremely depressing Angry

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OwlBeThere · 08/12/2019 22:52

What is it’s actual meaning though? You say the pagan aspect is yadda yadda but it does precede the Christian one. Times change, and the meaning of things change as the pagan/Christian thing shows.

Likethebattle · 08/12/2019 22:55

The had someone arguing with me that’s it’s 12 days before as that’s where the song comes from?! No it’s 12th night that relates to 12 days after Christmas.

1Morewineplease · 08/12/2019 22:57

Blimey... I thought everyone knew what the Twelve Days of Christmas meant ( and I’m atheist.)

Leflic · 08/12/2019 22:57

I don’t think it matters what you actually believe. It’s just ignorance to not have basic knowledge about the holiday you are celebrating. I’d include Pagan, Christian and some knowledge of what happens in other countries or religions.

NoSquirrels · 08/12/2019 22:57

Ha! Whenever my DC have been moaning that it "doesn't feel like Christmas yet" I have been reminding them that's because it ISN'T - it's Advent.

Yes, I am an arse.

8-year-old parroted it back to me today Grin.

HeronLanyon · 08/12/2019 23:00

Please don’t stomp out to the shed - I am in there ranting about other things.

NoSquirrels · 08/12/2019 23:00

lots of people are talking about "the twelve days of Christmas"- and assuming that that period starts on 1st December.

Also - if they think the 12 days begin on December 1st, what do they think the other days 13th-25th are? Xmas Confused

Original poster
VestaTilley · 08/12/2019 23:09

@NoSquirrels I know!!

Some people seem to be becoming so stupid I'm wondering if lead is sneakily being put back in to petrol again or something.

OP posts:
usernamerisnotavailable · 08/12/2019 23:10

Drives me potty. People I would usually respect have their trees up end November. Down Boxing Day. I really hate this type of ignorance. Christmas is all about tradition. So at least get it right!!!

Original poster
VestaTilley · 08/12/2019 23:12

@OwlBeThere I know significance of things to people changes over time, but my issue is the lack of cultural understanding of our own festival. The people on Instagram are putting up pictures relating to the "twelve days", implying they do some how care about it - but on the completely wrong days!

It's not even Christmas yet - it's Advent!

OP posts:
Original poster
VestaTilley · 08/12/2019 23:13

@usernamerisnotavailable agree!!

I am an old (actually quite young) stick in the mud, but I do get so pissed off about this.

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Ellisandra · 08/12/2019 23:14

I think it’s a shame when cultural references are lost, but I wouldn’t blame people for it individually - they just haven’t been exposed to it. There are plenty of Judeo-Christian references is art that I don’t get (without reading) that I expect someone ‘less educated’ than me (but Christian) would have got, 100 years ago.

I think the new view of the 12 days of Xmas will be accelerated by expensive ‘advent’ calendars that only have 12 doors, because people associate those calendars with pre-Xmas.

BarbedBloom · 08/12/2019 23:14

Well I celebrate Yule so am one of those pagans and do things according to my own traditions. People don't know because the number of religious people seems to be falling, they don't go to Sunday school and my religious education lessons at school were woeful.

Menora · 08/12/2019 23:14

This is mainly because they all want to be first to outdo each other, hence people are ‘dropping holiday collections’ in November and earlier and earlier to try to cash in as much as they can. They don’t care about when the 12 days are, it’s just a gimmick that runs between thanksgiving, Black Friday and Christmas’s to make $$$$$$$

sarahjconnor · 08/12/2019 23:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Khione · 08/12/2019 23:16

I'd add to this that 'Advent Calendars' start on the first of December.

This year Advent does start on Dec 1 but ADVENT starts the 3rd Sunday before Christmas. (which this year is December 1)
I have no issue with Christmas Countdown calendars - but they aren't Advent Calendars.

Actually I don't care - because (atheist, brought up catholic) it really doesn't matter = but why pick and choose. Yep, 12 days starts xmas day traditionally but we can all make our own traditions

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