“Love sought is good, but giv’n unsought is better.”
― William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night

The play, my favorite from Shakespeare, was written in celebration of Twelfth Night

Twelfth Night, January 5th, marks the ending of the Twelve Days of Christmas that begin on December 25th, the first day of Christmas. Twelfth Night is also called Epiphany Eve since it occurs the night before Epiphany (Three Kings Day which coincides with the visit of the three wise men).

I like the entire Yuletide season that begins with the solstice and runs through the twelve days because, in my beliefs, limiting the celebration to Christmas Day, would give me less time to absorb the beauty and the blessings of the holiday’s meanings and decorations. Each day brings new inspiration.

When my wife and I were first married, we often celebrated Christmas Day at her folks’ house an hour’s drive away. When we returned to your neighborhood before nightfall, a fair number of people in our subdivision had already finished their Christmas and thrown their trees out by the curb for the trash truck. I used to be furious with these people. Now, having improved with age, like a fine red wine (I hope), those trees make me sad.

Perhaps my focus on Yuletide from start to finish began with my parents’ Yule Log which sat on the mantle every season with three burning candles. Over time, the drippings built up and were a spectacular record of a wealth of Christmases. Likewise, over the Twelve Days of Christmas, the wealth of blessings builds up–even if your true love never gives you twelve drummers drumming.

–Malcolm