All Things Harvest Christmas Tradition-The Twelve Days of Christmas-On the seventh day...

Christmas Tradition–The Twelve Days of Christmas–On the seventh day…

The seventh day of Christmas is New Year’s Eve and also the Feast of St. Sylvester I who was one of the earliest Popes and served from 314 to 335 AD. In many eastern European countries this last day of the year is called “Sylvester”. St. Sylvester was Pope during an era in which the Christian Church was able to come out of hiding and into a time of peace after much turbulence and persecution. He was a friend of Emperor Constantine, the first Christian ruler of Rome. St. Sylvester also founded the Rome school of singing which was established to preserve and pass on the songs and melodies of old tradition.

New Year’s Eve is a time of hospitality and social gathering in anticipation of welcoming in the New Year. It is a time of watch to usher out the old, let go of the past, and welcome in the new. One way of welcoming in the New Year is to kiss the one you love (or even the one nearest you) as a way of bringing good luck. This tradition originates in the kiss being a greeting and the New Year’s kiss then being an offering of a blessing or protection. In former days, the New Year was often a time of entering into a vulnerable season in which survival was difficult.

Another tradition is to offer a toast to welcome in the New Year and all its promises. One of the traditions of “Sylvester” is drinking punch which originated as a drink in the early 1600s. This is a great way to have a special drink to toast in the New Year as it is both festive and easy to make in large quantities. This would be a good time to take a moment to express gratitude for the blessings of the past year and to wish peace and prosperity upon the coming year.

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me…