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| The Wise Ones |
The Twelve Days of Christmas is not just a song title. In fact, the song stems from the actual twelve days of Christmastide – which usually begins on December 25 and ends on January 5. Therefore, December 26 (which is often referred to as “the day after Christmas”) is actually only the second of Christmastide’s twelve days. Those who just didn’t get to the stores “on time” can thus rest assured – there’s still plenty of Christmas left to go around.
The day immediately following Christmastide (January 6) is often referred to as Epiphany (meaning “appearance” and/or “manifestation” in Koine Greek). Whereas Christmas Day (December 25) celebrates the Nativity of Jesus, Epiphany celebrates the Manifestation of Jesus as the Son of God. One of the earliest evidences of this Manifestation was the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus. That is why the Magi are so often honored during Epiphany. Later came the Baptism of Jesus and the Wedding at Cana. These, too, have been a key part of Epiphany celebrations.
The Biblical Magi (aka Wise Men, Three Kings) came from the East to honor the baby Jesus (the only Gospel to tell of this event is Matthew 2). According to this account, a star guided them to the place where Jesus lay. Rev. John Henry Hopkins picked up on this theme when he wrote the famous carol We Three Kings of Orient Are. It expands upon the three gifts that Matthew mentions: gold (to crown Him again); frankincense (owns a Deity nigh); and myrrh (breathes of life of gathering gloom).
It seems that neither Christmas nor Epiphany is really over until the Wise Ones sing: Guide us to Thy perfect light.
Resources
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphany_(holiday)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Days_of_Christmas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_Magi
http://www.carols.org.uk/we_three_kings_of_orient_are.htm
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%202;&version=NIVUK;
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