N.B. December 26 – St Etienne – St Stephen's Day is observed as a religious celebration exclusively in Alsace and Lorraine. It is not recognized as a public holiday in other regions of France.
The Twelve Days of Christmas, also known as the Twelve Days of Christmastide, are the festive Christian season celebrating the Nativity. Christmas Day is the First Day. The Twelve Days are 25 December to 5 January, counting first and last.
Central to French Épiphanie celebrations is the galette des rois, a flaky puff pastry filled with frangipane (almond cream). Inside each galette hides a fève —traditionally a porcelain figurine — and whoever finds it becomes 'king' or 'queen' for the day, donning a golden paper crown.
La Chandeleur, also known as Candlemas, is a traditional French holiday that is celebrated on February 2nd. The holiday is characterized by the making and eating of crêpes, which is a traditional French dish and is often served with a variety of sweet or savory fillings.
What Is Holiday Called In French During Christmas? - France Fact File
Why do Christmas decorations come down on Jan 6th?
Medieval Tradition
The theory that it's bad luck to leave decorations up beyond Twelfth Night (around 6 January) is a modern take on the tradition, but doing so used to be normal practice in the medieval period.
Boxing Day, also known as Offering Day is a holiday celebrated after Christmas Day, occurring on the second day of Christmastide (26 December). Boxing Day was once a day to donate gifts to those in need, but it has evolved to become a part of Christmas festivities.
What is the difference between 12th night and Epiphany?
In these traditions, Twelfth Night is the same as Epiphany. However, some consider Twelfth Night to be the eve of the Twelfth Day (in the same way that Christmas Eve comes before Christmas), and thus consider Twelfth Night to be on 5 January.
Saint Stephen, The First Martyr. Saint Stephen was one of the first ordained deacons of the Church. He was also the first Christian martyr. The Greek word from which we derive the English word martyr literally means witness.
With 36 days a year, Nepal is the country with the highest number of public holidays but it observes six working days a week. India ranks second with 21 national holidays, followed by Colombia and the Philippines at 18 each. Likewise, Japan, China and Hong Kong enjoy 17 public breaks a year.
Christmas in France is a major annual celebration, as in most countries of the Christian world. Christmas is celebrated as a public holiday in France on December 25, concurring alongside other countries. Public life on Christmas Day is generally quiet.
Second Sunday after Christmas Day / Epiphany, Year C. The old saying is true, “If you want to go fast, go alone; but if you want to go far, go together.” Let us gather together.
What is the day after Christmas December 26th called in different countries?
Boxing Day. Boxing Day, in Great Britain and some Commonwealth countries, particularly Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, holiday (December 26) on which servants, tradespeople, and the poor traditionally were presented with gifts. By the 21st century it had become a day associated with shopping and sporting events.
As Robert Hiscock, the writer behind a blog called Product of Newfoundland, explains, it's based on an old calendar error. "It's called Old Christmas Day because once upon a time we followed a different calendar, and that calendar was wrong," Hiscock told CBC News.
The Church of England celebrates Twelfth Night on 5th January, and the season of Epiphany from 6th January to 2nd February. However, some mark 6th January as Twelfth Night, counting the 12 days after Christmas Day, which is where the confusion stems from.
When should you put your Christmas tree up and take it down?
Traditionally, Christmas trees and decorations are taken down on Twelfth Night, which marks the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas. Twelfth Night is generally celebrated on the evening of the 5th of January. Twelfth Night is rooted in Christian tradition.
Some say the name itself has its origins in the word 'chandelle,' which means candle. Others trace the etymology of 'Chandeleur' to the Latin 'festa candelarum,' or festival of candles. Either way, candles are involved! Nowadays, la Chandeleur is mostly known as the day of the crêpes.
Candlemas happens 40 days after Christmas and marks the end of the Christmas/Epiphany season. It's also the day that we bless all of the candles that will be used liturgically in the church for the rest of the year. That's why we call it Candlemas.
