Celebrating 12 Days of Christmas - December 26 - Day 1!

Happy Christmastide!

Did you know many people celebrate December 26th as the first day of Christmas? This post contains some interesting facts about the 12 days of Christmas that we;re discovering. Bookmark this post to watch for more on this topic.
You might also be interested in :

• Kawartha Lakes Mums: December 27 - 2nd Day of Christmas: Counting Birds - Turtle Doves!

FTC Disclosure: Kawartha Lakes Mums welcomes family friendly advertising including affiliate links that meet with our editorial guidelines. This helps us put food on our table at no additional cost to our readers.Despite a big push by retailers to use the 12 days of Christmas as a count down to Christmas Day, many people are celebrating the true 12 Days of Christmas that begin December 26th. Do you know the true meaning of the 12 Days between Christmas and Epiphany? Join us on this journey of discovery!

12 Days of Christmas Poster by "XRF 12days" by Xavier Romero-Frias 

Christmastide

The period between Christmas Day and Epiphany is known as Christmastide, and run from December 26th to the day before Epiphany. December 26th is also known as St. Stephen's Day, and Boxing Day. The original 12 Days of Christmas Song is thought to be French in origin as a nursery rhyme, and today's gift partridge in a pear tree originally being "un pertix joli" reinterpreted from the Old French -  a pretty partridge when it was first published in 1780 in a book of games for children as a forfeit song to be sung at 12th Night parties - the Eve before Epiphany.

"12-days-title" by Anonymous - Anonymous (1780). Mirth without Mischief. London: Printed by J. Davenport, George's Court, for C. Sheppard, no. 8, Aylesbury Street, Clerkenwell. pp. 5–16.. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:12-days-title.png#mediaviewer/File:12-days-title.png

Boxing Day

Boxing Day - Not Sales- A Day for Donating and Regifting

While  most think of Boxing Day as the day to get great deals, Boxing Day is really supposed to be about boxing up gifts for those who are less fortunate and delivering them. Boxing Day was the Day to regift items, and even left overs. How will you make room for your new Christmas Gifts? There are several local charities that operate thrift stores and would welcome your gently used items. Donations are used to support many worthy local causes. Just as it is important to shop local, think about giving locally too. Don't let items pile up for someday. Today is the day someone may need your something:

• Salvation Army has two stores in Kawartha Lakes - One in Lindsay and the other in Fenelon Falls.
• Women's Resources - Welcomes donations through Vicky's Values in Lindsay
• Janetville United Church 
• Queen Street United Lindsay 
• Habitat for Humanity
• Humane Society
• Pregnancy Help Centre Lindsay

Do you know of more charities with thrift stores in Kawartha Lakes?
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• Wikimedia 12 Days of Christmas:"XRF 12days" by Xavier Romero-Frias - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.