The Twelve Days of Christmas: Our Family Traditions and the Meaning of Epiphany
For our family, Christmas does not end on December 25. In many ways, it is only just beginning. While the world around us starts packing the lights away and turning the page to a new year, we settle into a slower, sweeter rhythm known as the Twelve Days of Christmas, stretching from Christmas Day through Epiphany on January 6.
This season has shaped the way we gather and celebrate. It invites us to linger with the joy of Christ’s birth a little longer, to savor instead of rush, and to let celebration unfold day by day.
What Are the Twelve Days of Christmas?
Despite the way the song is often used, the Twelve Days of Christmas do not lead up to Christmas Day. They begin on it.
In the Christian calendar, the Twelve Days of Christmas mark the time between the celebration of Christ’s birth on December 25 and Epiphany on January 6. Epiphany remembers the visit of the Magi - the moment Christ was revealed not only to Israel but to the wider world.
Growing up, this idea fascinated us. Christmas was not a single morning that came and went, but a full season of rejoicing. There was room for rest after the busy days of Advent, and space to celebrate without hurry.
Why Our Family Celebrates All Twelve Days
Some of this tradition was passed down. Caleb’s family grew up celebrating Epiphany with a feast and party crackers. However, much of the twelve days have been new inspiration for us.
Having such large families, we quickly noticed how overwhelming December 25th could feel. It was a mad dash to finish our family’s Christmas morning traditions and then rush to the grandparents’ houses. By evening, wrapping paper was everywhere and the whole day had been a blur! Celebrating all twelve days changed that.
Instead of everything happening at once, joy became something we returned to each day. A small gift. A special meal. A story told by the tree. A cup of tea shared before bed.
Christmas became less about a single event and more about a way of living for a season.
The Christian Story Behind Epiphany
Epiphany has always held a quiet beauty. After shepherds and angels, after manger scenes and lullabies, the story widens.
The Magi arrive bearing gifts. Gold. Frankincense. Myrrh. Symbols of kingship, divinity, and sacrifice.
We talk about this often as a family. How God revealed His Son not just to one people, but to all nations. How Christmas joy is meant to be shared, carried outward, and lived beyond December.
On Epiphany night, we often read the story together. Sometimes by candlelight. Sometimes with children sprawled on the floor. Always with a sense that this moment matters, even if it looks quieter than Christmas morning.
Our Favorite Twelve Days of Christmas Traditions
Over the years, our family has developed a handful of traditions that mark the days between Christmas and Epiphany. They are simple and flexible.
Small Gifts, Given Slowly
Rather than exchanging everything at once, we save a few gifts to open throughout the twelve days. These include the gifts our kids give one another, which they excitedly anticipate exchanging.
Spacing them out keeps gratitude alive and reminds us that generosity does not have to be hurried.
Special Meals That Feel Like a Feast
Food plays a big role in how we celebrate. Each year looks a little different, but some favorites return again and again.
One of the sweetest traditions happens early in the season. We gather in the kitchen to make sugar cookies using Great Grandma’s recipe. Once they are baked and cooling, MaryClaire takes over with her famous tea-infused icing, turning a simple cookie into something extra special.
On the savory side, our mom began the tradition years ago of frying egg rolls on New Year’s Day. We anticipate this as much as Christmas dinner itself! We always invite many of our friends and family over to ring in the new year over this scrumptious meal. These traditions truly help the days feel set apart.
Stories, Songs, and Time Together
Evenings during the Twelve Days often end the same way. Lights low. One more story. One more carol. One more cup of tea.
We read stacks of Christmas books, both old favorites and new discoveries, until the pile by the couch slowly shrinks. The kids love to break out their instruments and play Christmas carols together. Sometimes we talk late into the evening. Sometimes we simply sit together, letting the day close gently.
This is where the season does its quiet work.
How Tea Fits Into the Twelve Days
Tea has become part of the rhythm almost without us noticing.
A morning mug while the house is still. An afternoon pot shared after a winter walk (or a polar plunge!). Something warm to hold during evening prayers or readings.
Loose leaf tea feels especially fitting during this season. It asks you to slow down. To wait while it steeps. To notice aroma and warmth and flavor.
Many of our winter blends were shaped by these very moments. Cups brewed while talking around the table. Pots poured during long conversations. Tea that kept us company as the Christmas story unfolded day by day.
Keeping Christmas When the World Moves On
One of the unexpected gifts of celebrating the Twelve Days is learning to resist hurry.
While the world moves quickly toward the next thing, we stay. We keep the tree lit. We keep singing. We keep celebrating.
This season reminds us that joy does not need to shout to be real. Sometimes it glows quietly, like a candle burning low but steady.
A Gentle Invitation
If you have never celebrated all twelve days of Christmas, we invite you to try it, even in a small way.
Light the tree one more night. Share one more meal. Brew one more pot of tea. Read the Epiphany story together.
Let Christmas linger.
As you do, know that you are joining a long tradition of believers who have chosen to savor the fullness of this season. And if a warm mug of tea happens to be part of that moment, we are honored to be there with you.
