A lot of folks aren’t aware these days that many Appalachians once celebrated Christmas on January 6th rather than the traditional December 25th holiday we are accustomed to these days. It is known as “Old Christmas” and was brought to America from Great Britain.
The change dates back to 1752 when the British Parliament voted to adopt the more Catholic-friendly Gregorian calendar rather than the Julian calendar that was used previously. While it sounds simple enough, an issue arose due to the fact that the Julian calendar had included 11 more days per year, thus adjustments needed to be made to correct this issue.
Lo and behold, dates were moved to correct the discrepancy which led to Christmas being on January 6th after the adjustment. As is often the case, many in the public didn’t appreciate the government meddling with dates so there was resistance to this change in some quarters. Much of this happened in the 1800s, a time when immigration from Great Britain to America was at a peak, so many of these immigrants brought their customs (and stubbornness with them) or were not aware of this change.
Appalachia was primarily populated by Scots-Irish immigrants so it stands to reason that many continued to practice the old traditions. One of these traditions for many families was to celebrate the “12 Days of Christmas” from December 25th (“New Christmas”) to January 6th (“OId Christmas”). Many folks in Appalachia even took all 12 days off from work to celebrate.
It was a far simpler time back then so it isn’t surprising that the celebrations were less elaborate than what we often see today. As would be expected, the church and Bible were major components of the celebration with a focus on family and a Christmas meal, while maintaining a solemn reverence for the birth of Jesus.
Gifts consisted of homemade toys and clothing. Holly, pinecones, and other locally grown plants were used for decorations. Music, singing, and storytelling provided the entertainment and an opportunity for bonding.
Old Christmas hung around in many parts of Appalachia well into the 1900s but slowly faded away as the December 25th Christmas date became more and more commercialized and the standard in America.
I know I have a tendency to be a bit nostalgic but surely I can’t be the only person who’d like to go back to having 12 days off from work…