Regency Celebrations after Christmas and Boxing Day include New Year’s Eve and Twelfth Night.

After Boxing Day, the day after Christmas December 27^th through January 5^th, there are evening parties and gatherings at homes or at your neighbors’ homes. Everyone is home so there are a lot of people to see and to renew acquaintances with during charades, dancing, music nights, games, small theater productions etc. Sometimes the evenings will last clear into the next morning. The women will be able to sleep in, but the men will get up early and go hunting.

December 31^st whatever party you attend or if you choose to stay home, you will ring in the New Year with drink and song.

New Year’s Day was usually spent at home since the night before was a late evening either out or at home.

January 2^nd through January 5^th would be a continuation of the above parties, dinner, dancing, perhaps even a ball to close the holiday Season.

The final day of the Christmas and New Year’s holiday is call Twelfth Night which is January 6^th   which is as you would guess 12 days after Christmas. This is called Epiphany in the Church and is the celebration of the Magi bringing gifts to Baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph. A huge ball would be planned for this night and even the children of the family and neighbors would be invited to attend.

Finally, we come to January 7^th when guests begin to leave, family members return to London or to their estates and decorations are taken down.  It was considered bad luck for decorations to remain up after January 7^th.

I personally would like to take down Christmas Decorations down on December 6^th. I love Christmas but I don’t want to start the New Year with a Christmas tree or decorations still up.