On the Twelfth Day of Christmas Quiz

Answer: 5th January

Twelfth Night is defined by the Christian calendar even though, in many ways, it is a very unchristian occasion. It falls on the twelfth day of Christmas, counting Christmas Day as the first day, and the day before Epiphany, which always falls on January 6th.

Answer: Twelfth Night marked an equalisation of society with highest and lowest partying on equal terms.

"After dinner I took my leave, leaving my wife with my cozen Stradwick, and went to Westminster to Mr. Vines, where George and I fiddled a good while, Dick and his wife (who was lately brought to bed) and her sister being there, but Mr. Hudson not coming according to his promise, I went away, and calling at my house on the wench, I took her and the lanthorn with me to my cosen Stradwick, where, after a good supper, there being there my father, mother, brothers, and sister, my cosen Scott and his wife, Mr. Drawwater and his wife, and her brother, Mr. Stradwick, we had a brave cake brought us, and in the choosing, Pall was Queen and Mr. Stradwick was King. After that my wife and I bid adieu and came home, it being still a great frost." (Pepys' Diary, January 6th 1660)

This was one occasion when everyone made merry together and was often a day for masked balls.

Answer: Hiding a bean and pea in a cake

"... we had a brave cake brought us, and in the choosing, Pall was Queen and Mr. Stradwick was King." (Pepys' Diary, January 6th 1660)

The bean and pea were hidden in a cake which was cut into slices. Whoever received the bean became the "king of the bean" and, correspondingly, whoever received the pea became "queen of the pea". Other methods could be used and in another diary entry, for January 5th 1669, Pepys describes the rather less exciting method of drawing lots:
"...and in the evening I did bring out my cake - a noble cake, and there cut it into pieces, with wine and good drink: and after a new fashion, to prevent spoiling the cake, did put so many titles into a hat, and so drew cuts; and I was the Queene; and The. Turner, King - Creed, Sir Martin Marr-all; and Betty, Mrs. Millicent: and so we were mighty merry till it was night..." (Pepys' Diary, January 5th 1669)

The bean and pea are probably symbols of fertility that date back to the Roman winter festival of Saturnalia.

Answer: The Lord of Misrule

"First of all, the wilde heades of the parish flocking togither, chuse them a graund captaine of mischiefe, whom they innoble with the title of Lord of Misrule; and him they crowne with great solemnity, and adopt for their king. ... This done, they tie aboute either legge twentie or fourtie belles, with riche handkerchiefes in their handes, and sometimes laide acrosse over their shoulders and neckes, borrowed, for the most part, of their pretie mopsies and loving Bessies. Thus all thinges set in order, then have they their hobby horses, their dragons, and other antiques, together with their baudie pipers, and thundring drummers, to strike up the devil's daunce with all." (Source : "The Anatomy of Abuses" by Philip Stubbs, 1586)

Note the references to pipers and drummers who are, of course, found at the end of the traditional song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas". The Lord was appointed either for the day of Twelfth Night or for the twelve days of Christmas, or in an older custom, for the entire period from All Saints Day (November 1st) to Twelfth Night. His alternative titles include Abbot of Unreason, Prince des Sots and Christmas Prince.

Answer: An alcoholic punch

"Next crown a bowl full
With gentle lamb's wool:
Add sugar, nutmeg and ginger,
With store of ale too;
And thus ye must do
To make the wassail a swinger."

(Source : "Twelfth Night: Or, King and Queen" by Robert Herrick)

Lamb's wool was a mixture of ale, pureed apples and spices. Twelfth Night and the drinking of alcohol were closely intertwined. Whatever the origins of the song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas", it is probable that it gained a lot of popularity as a drinking game on this occasion, with forfeits handed out to those unable to remember the words.

Answer: William Shakespeare

"Twelfth Night" was written to fit the spirit of the occasion with plenty of drinking, dancing and foolery and was first performed at Candlemas (February 2nd) 1602, the formal end of the Epiphany season in the church calendar.

Samuel Pepys first saw the play in September 1661 and was not impressed:
"I walking through Lincoln's Fields observed at the Opera a new play, "Twelfth Night" was acted there, and the King there; so I, against my own mind and resolution, could not forbear to go in, which did make the play seem a burthen to me, and I took no pleasure at all in it; and so after it was done went home with my mind troubled for my going thither, after my swearing to my wife that I would never go to a play without her" (Pepys' Diary, September 11th 1661).

The latter fault was put right when he saw the play again, in his wife's company, in January 1663. His opinions, though, hadn't changed much:
"So to my brother's, where Creed and I and my wife dined with Tom, and after dinner to the Duke's house, and there saw "Twelfth Night" acted well, though it be but a silly play, and not related at all to the name or day" (Pepys' Diary, January 6th 1663).

Answer: It marks the date of Christmas in the Julian calendar

The Gregorian calendar was established by means of a papal bull in 1582 but not introduced in the British empire (which included Ireland and America) until 1752. On its introduction, the correction required the loss of 11 complete days, meaning that December 25th in the old Julian calendar became January 5th in the Gregorian. Another implication of the new calendar's implementation is that leap years no longer occur EVERY four years. They now fall on all years that are divisible by four except for century years where it is only those years that are divisible by 400.

One might also add, rather stereotypically, that it's just like the Irish to opt for two celebrations instead of one but they're not the only ones. Some places in America have also continued the practice, including the Outer Banks region of North Carolina. Does this mean that they have their Twelfth Night cake and eat it?

Answer: To remember the baptism of Jesus

In Western churches, January 6th is Epiphany and marks the bringing of the magi's gifts to the infant Jesus. In Orthodox churches, it is known as the feast of Theophany and commemorates the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan river, with its threefold manifestation of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This date, of course, falls later for those churches still using the Julian calendar.

Answer: Mardi Gras carnival

The Mardi Gras carnival period begins on Twelfth Night and runs through to Shrove Tuesday. One of the traditions of Mardi Gras in America is the king cake with bean inside it, although today's cakes are more likely to contain a plastic figure than a bean. The Twelfth Night tradition of choosing a queen "by bean", familiar as a European custom, was first introduced to New Orleans in 1870. That first year, however, proved a disaster when nobody could find the bean in the cake.

The carnival spirit of Mardi Gras has traditionally been seen as a precursor to the deprivation of Lent. It is as likely, though, to tap into earlier pagan festivals that celebrated the restoration of order and fertility just as the period leading up to Twelfth Night was characterised by the Lord of Misrule.

Answer: He bequeathed money to provide wine and cake for actors on Twelfth Night.

Baddeley's life was not without incident. He eloped with his wife Sophia (also an actor) when she was eighteen. She then left him after being involved in a succession of scandals. Baddeley was a member of David Garrick's Drury Lane company and even fought a duel (connected to his marriage break-up) with Garrick's brother. In his will, he left £3 per year to provide wine and cakes for those performing at Drury Lane on Twelfth Night.

Forgive me a small indulgence. There was a twentieth century rock group called Twelfth Night and they were/are one of my favourite acts.