Amish Celebrate Old Christmas Today
Posted on January 6, 2016 in Amish Beliefs
This
post on Old Christmas was originally published in 2011. If you missed
it the first time, here’s another look at the story behind this
tradition, observed today in Amish communities.
Today, January 6th, is the Epiphany. It is also known as “Old Christmas”. From the Pinecraft Pauper:
And from amish-heartland.com:
Making the switch to the Gregorian calendar must have been interesting. You would go to sleep one day and wake up “ten days later”.
Calendar reform was implemented at different times in different countries in the centuries following the Pope’s decree. Four countries implemented the change on the intended date. In Spain, Italy, Portugal, and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, October 4, 1582 was followed by October 15, 1582.
As the years went on, time due to the miscalculation in the previous Julian calendar accumulated. This meant countries who adopted it later had to make a change of more days. When Britain (and the American colonies) adopted the calendar in 1752, it was necessary to add 11 days. In Russia, the change was not implemented until 1918. At that point, a shift of 13 days was required to correct the discrepancy.
Others implemented the new calendar in odd ways. Sweden gradually shifted into the new calendar over a period of 50 years, which included adding an unusual February 30th in the year 1712. Greece was the final Eastern Orthodox European country to get with the program, with February 15, 1923 followed by March 1, 1923.
Today, January 6th, is the Epiphany. It is also known as “Old Christmas”. From the Pinecraft Pauper:
January
6th is still widely observed as a holiday by many plain folks, who
commemorate the Epiphany with rest and fasting. The Epiphany,
traditionally, is the day in which the wise men brought gifts to Jesus.
However, January 6th is called “Old Christmas” because in 1582 Pope
Gregory XIII deleted ten days, eleven minutes, and fifteen seconds from
the calendar, to realign it with the seasons of the year, thus
technically moving Christmas from Dec. 25th to Jan. 6th.
The
Scotch-Irish Mountain folks up in Tennessee still call the 6th “Old
Christmas”. Their tradition has it that one ought never lend anything
to anybody on that day, for the lender will never get it back.
And from amish-heartland.com:
January
6th is “Old Christmas,” a tradition the Amish brought with them from
18th-century Europe. The Millers keep it as a family day, with visiting
and feasting much like that on Christmas Day, but no gifts are
exchanged. Amish businesses are closed on this day.
“We just enjoy a day at home,” Mary says.
Making the switch to the Gregorian calendar must have been interesting. You would go to sleep one day and wake up “ten days later”.
Calendar reform was implemented at different times in different countries in the centuries following the Pope’s decree. Four countries implemented the change on the intended date. In Spain, Italy, Portugal, and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, October 4, 1582 was followed by October 15, 1582.
As the years went on, time due to the miscalculation in the previous Julian calendar accumulated. This meant countries who adopted it later had to make a change of more days. When Britain (and the American colonies) adopted the calendar in 1752, it was necessary to add 11 days. In Russia, the change was not implemented until 1918. At that point, a shift of 13 days was required to correct the discrepancy.
Others implemented the new calendar in odd ways. Sweden gradually shifted into the new calendar over a period of 50 years, which included adding an unusual February 30th in the year 1712. Greece was the final Eastern Orthodox European country to get with the program, with February 15, 1923 followed by March 1, 1923.
Very interesting. Logan said I had to keep my tree up until today. lol
ReplyDeleteDid you?
ReplyDelete