Frequently Asked Questions
When are the Twelve Days of Christmas?
The Twelve Days actually come after Christmas Day. They begin on December 26 and end on January 6 – Three Kings' Day, or Epiphany when, according to legend, the Three Kings arrived in Bethlehem bearing gifts.
This twelve-day period at the end of the year, near the winter solstice, has been a period of folklore, superstition, and celebration for thousands of years. Some even think that the timing of Christmas Day and Epiphany were set to coincide with this already-existing festival season. The ancient midwinter traditions and rituals of many different cultures gave rise to the folklore of the Twelve Days of Christmas, which has in turn influenced our contemporary Christmas celebrations far more than many of us realize. We'll soon have much more information about the Twelve Days on this site.
Why give a gift on each of the 12 Days?
Until recent times, Christmas was commonly thought of as more than a single day – Christmas Day kicked off a twelve-day season of giving and celebration that lasted through the New Year. We think that in our busy lives today, we could all use an easy and fun way to make the joy of Christmas last longer, and to give it a deeper sense of history.
Giving a small, thoughful gift on each of the Twelve Days in our unique gift boxes, and learning about the history & folklore of the Twelve Days by reading the included booklet, are a great way to make your family's Christmas celebrations more fulfilling.
Is this gift-giving tradition new or old?
Neither aspect of this gift-giving tradition is brand new – it's a modern fusion of two gift-giving practices that were common in the past, wrapped up in a set of elegant and contemporary boxes:
- The first tradition is obviously the practice of giving gifts throughout the Twelve Days of Christmas.
- Then second is the practice of hanging gifts on the Christmas tree. This practice actually preceeded today's convention of putting gifts under the tree. In fact, Christmas ornaments themselves evolved out of hanging gifts on evergreens!
Our family came up with this way of celebrating the Twelve Days nearly 30 years ago, and we've enjoyed it so much we decided to share it with the world.
What's included?
Each set of our exclusive, handcrafted Heirloom Gift Boxes includes:
- 12 beautiful hanging gift boxes to display on your Christmas tree
- A matching keepsake Presentation Box to store and protect your set
- A 40-page illustrated booklet on the folklore & history of the Twelve Days of Christmas
- 12 stainless steel hangers for your gift boxes
- 12 sheets of pre-cut tissue for packing your gifts
- A helpful gift giver's guide with gift ideas, packing tips, and even a removable size-guide card that's handy when you're out shopping for gifts.
Read more about our gift box sets here »
Do your gift box sets come with gifts inside?
No. For us, a big part of the fun (for both the gift-giver and the recipient) has always been that each set of gifts is uniquely chosen for the recipient. With that in mind, our Heirloom Gift Boxes have been designed to provide you with everything you need to bring the tradition of celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas to your family this year and to enjoy it for many years to come.
You'll have a lot of fun choosing a truly personal set of gifts for your lucky recipient, and they'll appreciate the gifts you give that much more knowing that they were chosen just for them. To get you started, each set includes a helpful gift giver's guide filled with gift ideas and tips on packing up your completed gift set.
Where should I shop for gifts for my recipient?
We're putting the finishing touches on our online gift guide featuring hundreds of handpicked gift ideas that all fit in our gift boxes. We don't sell any of these items ourselves, so our recommendations are unbiased.
Aside from that, it really depends on the recipient. Two of the online stores where we love to hunt for Twelve Days gifts are Etsy (see our etsy picks here) and ThinkGeek. For offline shopping, we've had great luck in the past at toy stores, small boutiques, and museum gift shops.
When you start to look around, you'll begin spotting small gift ideas everywhere. For us, it's a fun thing to do year-round.
How can I tell if a gift will fit in a box?
Obviously, the best way is to put it in one of your gift boxes! If you don't have yours yet, the interior dimensions of our gift boxes are 2.25" on each side. Diagonally, a gift card will fit inside. Don't forget, you can remove the manufacturer's packaging to make an item fit.
We also include a handy size-guide card with our sets that's useful when you're out shopping and you don't want to carry one of our gift boxes with you.
What are your shipping rates?
For this holiday season, we offer FREE UPS ground shipping in the continental U.S., along with discounted express shipping rates. See here for a full breakdown of our shipping rates.Is there still time to order for Christmas 2009?
Yes! The earlier you order the better, so you have more time to pick out your set of gifts, but there's still plenty of time to order and still get your set by Christmas.
For orders in the continental U.S. with free shipping, to be guaranteed to get your set by December 24, place your order by 2 P.M. Pacific time on December 17. See a full list of shipping rates and holiday ordering deadlines here.
What if my recipient doesn't live where I do?
We've thought of that too. Once your gift set is completed, you can reuse the sturdy shipping box your set arrived in to send it on to the recipient. If you'll be mailing heavy or fragile gifts in your boxes, please consult your shipping provider to see if you'll need to use a larger, more padded shipping container.
When the recipient opens their completed gift set on Christmas morning, it will explain what to do. Just don't leave the gift giver's guide inside!
Please keep in mind that if you'll be sending a completed gift set to a remote recipient, you'll need to place your order earlier – so there's time for the completed gift set to get to the recipient by Christmas.
What if I take my tree down right after Christmas?
No problem – your gift boxes will look great hanging from a fireplace, in a window, above a child's bed, or from a table centerpiece.
Our gift boxes do not have to be hung at all – they are just designed to look great when hung on a tree or elsewhere. So, if you take your tree down right after Christmas Day, that's no reason to not celebrate the Twelve Days that follow!
What's your return policy?
Attention to design, materials, and both the gift-giver's and recipient's experiences are our highest priorities. We're proud of our gift box sets and confident you will be delighted with them too. However, If you decide to return them, we offer a 30-day money back guarantee. If your return is within 30 days of your purchase, just contact us and we'll give you a return authorization number and directions on where to send it. In the unlikely event you should receive a damaged or defective product, we'll rush you a replacement unit.
On this page:
- When are the 12 Days of Christmas?
- Why give a gift on each of the 12 Days?
- Is this gift giving tradition new or old?
- What's included in your sets?
- Do your sets come with gifts?
- Where should I shop for gifts?
- How can I tell if a gift will fit in a box?
- What are your shipping rates?
- Is there still time to order for Christmas?
- What if I don't live where my recipient lives?
- What if I take my tree down right after Christmas?
- What's your return policy?
Don't see your question here?
If you don't see what you're looking for here, don't hesitate to contact us.
See all that's included in our elegant and unique gift box sets for giving a small gift on each of the Twelve Days of Christmas.
Twelve Days is a small family business. We've been celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas in our own unique fashion for almost 30 years now, and love this tradition so much we decided to share it with the world. Read our story »
