On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, twelve drummers drumming…

We come to the last day of the Christmas celebration and ideas for ending Christmas slowly. You could if you chose, bang a lot of things, including drums. Or maybe, get twelve drummers together and make an unholy racket.

However, there is a traditional celebration for this day, Twelfth Night.

In medieval times, Twelfth Night was celebrated with balls and parties, complete with Twelfth Night cakes with a trinket hidden inside to choose the “king” to preside over the night’s revelries.

In Elizabethan times, a Lord of Misrule presided over the partying while the nobility acted as servants – a world deliberately turned upside down for a night. You could try crowning a Lord of Misrule at your Twelfth Night Party, or you could just have a nice afternoon or evening where you open your house to friends and family to come together one last time for the holidays.

A customary practice on the Twelfth Night is taking down the Christmas decorations, including the tree. Make a party of this and have everyone help take down the tree and Christmas décor. It’s a fun activity that will keep everyone busy. Plus, your guests will be cleaning up your house at the same time!