ntt@dciem.UUCP (Mark Brader) (12/19/83)
Remember that Christmas is really on January the 6th when you do these
date computations. This is due to the calendar change (Gregorian to Julian?).
In fact there are several traditional English events on Jan 6th, that
indicate this fact (e.g. Goathland Plough Stots)
Remember that this only applies in the 20th and 21st centuries. The calendar
relationship changes by 3 days in every 4 centuries; in the 19th century
December 25 on the ("Old Style") Julian calendar was January 5 on the
("New Style", i.e., now standard in most of the world) Gregorian calendar.
There is no connection between the 12 days of Christmas and the current
12-day difference in calendars.
It's probably worth adding that the Gregorian calendar was not adopted at the
same time in all countries. Catholic countries followed October 4 by
October 15 in 1582; the British world (and UNIX) followed September 2 by
September 14 in 1752 (try "cal 9 1752"); Russia did not change until after
the October Revolution, the anniversary of which accordingly is celebrated
in November (New Style).
Mark Brader