The Twelve Days of Christmas: A Creative Christmas Tradition

A fun and creative Christmas tradition I remember from my childhood is called "The Twelve Days of Christmas. It all starts on December 14th and continues up until December 25th. A family or individual is chosen who might need a little extra Christmas Cheer and each day, starting on the 14th, a small gift is left for that person, anonymously. On the 25th, you can either choose to reveal yourself, or continue to keep your identity a secret.

The Twelve Days of Christmas can be done in different ways. One way is to purchase a nice Nativity Set and give one piece of the set a day, ending with the baby Jesus on the 25th. Gifts could be selected with a theme in mind, such as food or music. Or, you could simply give a different, but thoughtful gift every day.

This Christmas tradition is especially fun if you are doing it with kids. Kids love to doorbell ditch for such a good cause! Kids will quickly get into the Christmas Spirit by taking part in The Twelve Days of Christmas. Here are a few things to remember if you decide to try out this fun way to brighten someone's holiday season.

Choose Wisely: Think of any friends or neighbors who might be going through a rough patch, or who might be alone during the holiday season. Receiving a little gift every day will really be something fun for someone to look forward to, so think of who will benefit from something like this.

Select Your Gifts: It's helpful to have your twelve gifts ahead of time so you don't find your self rushing around at the last minute trying to pull something together. If you are going to include home baked goodies as part of the twelve gifts, make a note on your calendar as a reminder to have your gift ready to go in time. Some gift ideas include the already mentioned Nativity set, Christmas tree ornaments, a nice Christmas book, candles, picture frames, or fancy baked goods or fruit.

Create Note Cards: Make a little note card for each gift. If you have the gift of rhyme, try creating a take-off on the Christmas carol, "The Twelve Days of Christmas". Make sure your notes indicate which "day" you are on and include a fun Christmas greeting.

Deliver Your Gifts: Delivering your gifts is probably the most fun part of this tradition. You want to remain anonymous, so definitely ringing the doorbell and running is a great way to deliver your gift. However, after a few days of this type of delivery, your recipient will start to recognize a pattern and may try and catch you! Throw them off with your stealth gift delivery maneuvers. Vary the time you drop off your gifts, or don't always ring the door bell. Try enlisting the help of some neighborhood kids to deliver the gifts face to face, just to throw them off a bit. (Consider a bribe to get them to keep their mouths shut about your true identity). Be creative, but don't let them know who you are.

The Reveal: If you decide to reveal yourselves on Christmas day, you could simply sign your names to the last note. You might also consider delivering your twelfth gift personally and singing a Christmas carol or two. If the person is alone on Christmas consider inviting them over to share your Christmas meal.

The Twelve Days of Christmas is a wonderful tradition that will be sure to lift someone's spirits and bring them joy during the holiday season.