I like the idea of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Why should it all be over on the 26th? In my area, people start taking down the decorations and the tree today or very soon. By New Year's most of it has been swept away. I find that I'm liking the idea of having things START on the 25th. It's usually when I, not being much of a shopper, finally get into the mood and concentrate on it!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Days_of_Christmas
As this Wiki entry tells us in part:
"The traditions of the Twelve Days of Christmas have been largely forgotten in the United States, where the public generally tends to equate the Christmas season with the Christmas shopping season and its attendant commercial marketing campaigns. Contributing factors include the popularity of stories by Charles Dickens in 19th century America (with their emphasis on generous gift-giving), introduction of more secular traditions over the past two centuries (such as the American Santa Claus), and the rise in popularity of New Year's Eve parties.
The first day of Christmas actually terminates the Christmas marketing season for merchants, as shown by the number of "after-Christmas sales" that launch on 26 December. Widespread experience with the commercial calendar has encouraged a popular (but erroneous) assumption among consumers that the Twelve Days must end on Christmas Day and must therefore begin on 14 December!!"
(The above written by a British person [as I can determine from other aspects of the entry], but I think they have it right!)
Tags: Christmas red ribbon bow gold ornaments spruce boughs mantel in the house Yule Jul Noel Navidad 12 days twelve days holiday domestic traditions 2011 mystuart weihnachten kerst
Tags: Christmas red green ribbon door decoration holiday conifer winter wood frame
Tags: greetings Christmas New Year card toyon berries FlickrToys
Tyrannosaurus rex as Santa!
Berkeley. The Paleontology Museum. UC Campus.
I like his smile!!
Tags: university Berkeley Valley humor T rex UC holiday Santa hat skeleton dinosaur museum