12 Days of Christmas

I laugh on December 26th. Seeing the trees start popping up at the curbs. For most people, they consider the Christmas season starting on Thanksgiving or not long after. And ending when Christmas Day dinner is over.

I'm an Episcopalian. Advent is the four Sundays before Christmas. Christmas day is the first of 12 days of Christmas. For us, it ends on January 6th. The Epiphany. That's the day the three kings reached baby Jesus.

As a kid, my parents used the 12 days to extend the Christmas season. We either did something special or got a small gift during the 11 days after Christmas a well as some gifts on Christmas morning. Josh and I continued this tradition until a few years ago. We just stopped having the budget for it.

For us, the tree doesn't come down until after January 6th! We have a fake tree but growing up we had a real tree. We would get the tree pretty close to Christmas so it would last through the 12 days.

I've talked about the commercial Christmas versus the religious Christmas in the past. When you don't celebrate the Epiphany, Christmas is over either the day after December 25th, or on New Year's Day. But, when you do celebrate the Epiphany, it has a deeper meaning.

The story goes that the three kings, also known as the three wise men, used the star of Bethlehem to guide them to the newborn king (baby Jesus).  They arrived on the 12th day. The Epiphany. With their gifts. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The gifts of the magi.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_Magi#Gifts

So, I hope you don't think Christmas is over on December 26th!!! That is only the second day of Christmas! During that time think of the journey the wise men took. On January 6th, think of how they must have felt finally reaching baby Jesus. Joy, excitement, relief, and hope.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nativity_of_Jesus