Significance of the number twelve?

Greetings all -

My 12th wedding anniversary is coming up in about a month. I like to do something well out of the ordinary for each time it rolls around. Usually I am able to find a significance in the number of the anniversary and buy a gift (or service) on that level.

I know:

  1. 12 days of Christmas
  2. 12 signs of Chinese zodiac
  3. 12 Step programs
  4. 12 apostiles

What I am looking for is some lesser know significance of the number 12 that I can use to put something together from.

I thought I would put it to you because I cannot come up with anything past what you see above.

Any help would be welcome.

Mardi -

PS - the traditional/modern gifts are silk/linen and pearls but neither of those knock me out either. I’d rather do something with the number.

12 months of the year
12 sons of Jacob
12 tribes of Israel
one of the best clips from Sesame Street

The twelfth Major Arcanum of the Tarot is “The Hanged Man”. (Not, perhaps, an image you’d want to invoke on your anniversary.)

You could take her to see a production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night which is arguable one his best romantic comedies. Or rent the recent film production, starring Helena Bonham Carter, on videotape which is very well done.

one more – you can get magnesium - the 12th element

make it a 12-month long celebration

How about a night themed around the twelfth letter of the alphabet? ‘L’ has many interesting possibilities: love, lust, lechery, licentiousness, lick, lap, lay, laser sighted marital aid - the list goes on.

You mean the number clip with the 12 song at the start?

1-2-3 4! 5! 6-7-8 9! 10! 11! 12!

then you see the pinball going through whatver number things…

that is so imprinted on my mind, whenever I count, I count to the little song.

Eggs come in dozen.
Make her a HUGE omelet!

If you’re an alcoholic/addict, you could always start a twelve step program.

There’s always the movie Twelve Angry Men, or Twelve O’clock High.

Big Twelve Athletic Conference. Unless you live in the midwest, I guess catching a Nebraska, Texas, Oklahoma, etc. football game is out of the question.

Twelve Tribes of Isreal? Are you Jewish by chance?

Finally, there is always “Playing the dozens”. Although I don’t think it would go over well if you got into an insult contest with your wife.

Gee, I know I was of no help, but I had fun with this one.

The 12th President of the United States was Zachary Taylor, so I suppose you could invade Mexico.

The 12th state added to the Union was North Carolina- maybe go out for BBQ.

There are 12 months in the year- maybe do a little early Christmas something?

Yeah, well, my girlfriend never called me a romantic…

The twelve tables: an ancient Roman code of law
Twelfth Night: The date of the Epiphany (Jan. 5); also the title of a comedy by Shakespeare

I like MJH’s suggestion of Twelfth Night (Shakespeare.)

The Hanged Man (in Tarot) should in my mind more properly be called The Hanging Man. (see description here). Reading the description may give you some ideas for the anniversary.

Or the traditional way - a string of twelve pearls.