The 12th Day of Christmas

The twelfth day of Christmas, known as Twelfth Night, fell on the eve of the Epiphany, commemorating the visit of the Wise Men to the infant Jesus in Bethlehem.

Although it marked the close of the Christmas season, Twelfth Night was celebrated with lively festivities, including feasting, games, and theatrical performances. At the Tudor court, elaborate masques were staged alongside grand banquets. In 1532, a temporary kitchen was even constructed in the grounds of Greenwich Palace to prepare around 200 dishes for the occasion.

A centrepiece of the celebrations was the Twelfth Night cake—a large fruit cake, similar in taste to a brioche. Hidden within each half of the cake was a coin or a dried bean. Men and women would take slices from opposite sides, and whoever discovered the hidden token was crowned the king or queen of the bean. This person then took charge of the evening’s entertainment, organising singing, dancing, and games.

The following day brought the feast of the Epiphany, the final celebration of the Christmas period. After attending church services, people enjoyed roasted lamb and Epiphany tart, a large star-shaped jam tart. Although decorations often remained in place until Candlemas on 2 February, the twelve days of Christmas had come to an end for another year.