Twelfth Night in the United Kingdom

Twelfth Night - Dates

This year

Name	Date	Holiday Type	Countries
Twelfth Night	Sun, 5 Jan 2025	Observance	All	Add

Next year

Name	Date	Holiday Type	Countries
Twelfth Night	Mon, 5 Jan 2026	Observance	All	Add

Last year

Name	Date	Holiday Type	Countries
Twelfth Night	Fri, 5 Jan 2024	Observance	All	Add

Are Businesses Closed?

Twelfth Night is not a bank holiday. Businesses, offices, and shopping centers operate on their usual hours.

Are Schools Closed?

Schools also run as usual on the Twelfth Night.

History and why the date varies

The "Twelve Days of Christmas" concept was formalised in church practice centuries ago. How people count the twelve days varies: if Christmas Day is counted as day 1, then Twelfth Night is 5 January (the night before Epiphany on 6 January).

Traditionally, the day "officially" ends the Christmas season, with a night of feasts, games, and merriment. Although most of us would have gone back to work already, is feels good to know that the Christmas was still around, doesn't it?

Key traditions explained

Wassailing - blessing the orchard

Wassailing is one of the most recognisable Twelfth Night customs in the UK. It originated as a way to bless fruit trees and ensure a good harvest: people process to the orchard, sing traditional wassail songs, offer cider or a bowl of wassail to the trees and sometimes make a loud noise to scare away spirits.

Read more about wassailing on Historic UK and National Trust sites.

Cakes, kings and fools

In many households a special Twelfth-night cake (a rich fruit cake or a king cake) contains a bean and sometimes a pea. The person who finds the bean is "King of the Feast" and the one who finds the pea is "Queen" or vice versa depending on local custom. Check out this most reviewed Twelfth night cake recipe.

Taking down decorations

There is a long-standing rule of thumb that Christmas decorations should be taken down by Twelfth Night. Folklore warns that leaving decorations up later may bring bad luck, though modern commentators note this is a mixture of tradition and Victorian-era custom. Regardless, many people use Twelfth Night as the practical end of the Christmas season - it is a good day to pack decorations, safely dispose of real trees and tidy seasonal displays.

Theatre and literature

Twelfth Night has a strong cultural presence through Shakespeare's comedy "Twelfth Night, or What You Will". The play features role reversals, mistaken identity and festive confusion - motifs that echo older Twelfth Night revelries. The theatre tradition of special entertainments around Twelfth Night dates back centuries.

You can read the entire play on this Folger Shakespear Library.

Regional variations across the UK

Twelfth Night rituals vary by place:

• Southwest England: Orchard wassails are common and often organised by local parishes or cider groups.
• Southeast and Kent: Village wassails and community feasts remain in pockets where fruit-growing has deep roots.
• Urban areas: Many cities mark the end of Christmas with small concerts, church Epiphany services and local "take-down" gatherings rather than full wassails.

Practical tips for observing Twelfth Night respectfully

• If you attend a wassail, wear warm, weatherproof clothing and sturdy footwear - many orchard sites are muddy in winter.
• Bring a small contribution for the wassail bowl (cider or non-alcoholic alternative) if organisers ask; always follow the lead of the event organiser on rites and safety.
• When removing decorations, check with your local council about tree recycling and safe disposal of lights and batteries.

FAQ

When is Twelfth Night?

Most people observe Twelfth Night on the evening of 5 January, the night before Epiphany on 6 January.

What is wassailing?

Wassailing is a folk custom - singing, offering a cup of wassail and making noise around fruit trees to encourage a good harvest. It remains popular in cider-making regions and in communities that want to connect to local orchard heritage.

Should I take down my decorations on Twelfth Night?

Tradition suggests you should take down decorations by Twelfth Night. Many people follow this for symbolic reasons; others leave decorations up until Candlemas (2 February). Practically, it is sensible to remove real trees by Twelfth Night because dry trees are a fire risk.