# A great thought I just had... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 23, 2004, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-great-thought-i-just-had/281362 "2004-12-23T19:09:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-great-thought-i-just-had/281362/1 "2004-12-23T19:09:54Z")
If one could convince the American public to revert to the old tradition of exchanging gifts on Twelfth Night rather than Christmas, one could extend the holiday shopping season by almost _two weeks_! \ ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-great-thought-i-just-had/281362/2 "2004-12-23T19:20:29Z")
But that is when we shop for post Christmas/year end close out bargins. ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-great-thought-i-just-had/281362/3 "2004-12-23T19:25:19Z")
That could be done after Twelfth Night, I suppose. They could even call it “Thirteenth Night” or something, as the traditional day of post-holiday bargains. ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-great-thought-i-just-had/281362/4 "2004-12-23T20:20:45Z")
You’ve found a way to extend the stress, crowding, annoying music and general hellishness of the Christmas shopping season for two extra weeks? That’s brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-great-thought-i-just-had/281362/5 "2004-12-23T20:29:49Z")
A **terrible** thought. :eek: BAD **yBeayf**! No presents for you! ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-great-thought-i-just-had/281362/6 "2004-12-23T20:30:58Z")
It would only work if we could divide the population into seperate groups and assign which day, Christmas or Twelth Night. Those smug early shoppers could stick with Christmas and the rest of us could have more time. Wait. That won’t work… They shop early, so aren’t in the crowds that get in my way… Never mind…sigh ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-great-thought-i-just-had/281362/7 "2004-12-23T20:37:56Z")
Hey, I celebrate Christmas on a totally separate calendar from you folks, so all this holiday hustle and bustle doesn’t affect me much. I’m just trying to do my part for the economy. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-great-thought-i-just-had/281362/8 "2004-12-23T23:15:14Z")
Do not fear **yBeayf**! There is one US jurisdiction that does exactly this. I live in it. Only that rather than “go back” to doing 12th-night, we just _kept_ it (designated legendary giftbringers: the Magi) and ADDED Santa on Xmas Eve. K-Mart/Sears, JC Penney, Macys, Borders, WalMart, Toys’R’Us, etc. ADORE this blessed isle. ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-great-thought-i-just-had/281362/9 "2004-12-24T06:23:23Z")
Extending it to _Twelfth Night_? Eh, what you will.