Three Kings Day (Little Christmas, Epiphany, Twelfth Day, Greek Christmas, & La Befana) January 6th is the traditional day the Magi, or the Three Kings, visited the Christ Child. They came bearing gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh.
Today is also known as Little Christmas, Epiphany, Twelfth Day, Greek or Orthodox Christmas, & La Befana (Italy).
Epiphany is one of the oldest Christian celebrations. It was celebrated since the end of the second century, before the Christmas holiday was recognized. It is commonly known as Twelfth Night, Twelfth Day, or the Feast of Epiphany. It means “manifestation” or “showing forth”. It is also called Theophany (“manifestation of God”), especially by Eastern Christians. Epiphany also refers to the church season that follows the day.
And yes, however you celebrate today, its time to take the tree down because Christmas is officially over!
Saint Nicholas Day (Christian)
A day honoring the Bishop of Myra in what is now Turkey. Known for his charity and wisdom, St. Nicholas is believed by many to be the inspiration for Father Christmas and Santa Claus.
Some parts of the world celebrate the evening before, known as Saint Nicholas’ Eve (December 05).
Sinterklaas (also called Sint-Nicolaas or De Goedheiligman in Dutch (and Saint Nicolas in French) is a traditional Winter holiday figure in the Netherlands, Aruba, Netherlands Antilles and Belgium, celebrated every year on Saint Nicholas’ eve (December 5) or, in Belgium, on the morning of December 6. The feast celebrates the name day of Saint Nicholas, patron saint of, among other things, children.
It is also celebrated in parts of France (North, Alsace, Lorraine), as well as in Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Croatia, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and in the town of Trieste and in Eastern Friuli in Italy. Additionally, many Roman Catholics of Alsatian and Lotharingian descent in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, celebrate “Saint Nicholas Day” on the morning of December 6. The traditions differ from country to country, even between Belgium and the Netherlands.
In the Netherlands, Saint Nicholas’ Eve (December 5) is the chief occasion for gift-giving. The evening is called “sinterklaasavond” or “pakjesavond” (“presents evening”). In the Netherlands, children receive their presents on this evening whereas in Belgium, children put their shoe in front of the fireplace on the evening of December 5, then go to bed, and find the presents around the shoes on the morning of the 6th.
Sinterklaas is the basis for the North American figure of Santa Claus. It is often claimed that during the American War of Independence the inhabitants of New York City, a former Dutch colonial town (New Amsterdam) which had been swapped by the Dutch for other territories, reinvented their Sinterklaas tradition, as Saint Nicholas was a symbol of the city’s non-English past.[1] The name Santa Claus supposedly derived from older Dutch Sinte Klaas. However, the Saint Nicholas Society was not founded until 1835, almost half a century after the end of the American War of Independence.[2] A study of the “children’s books, periodicals and journals” of New Amsterdam by Charles Jones revealed no references to Saint Nicholas or Sinterklaas.[3] However, not all scholars agree with Jones’s findings, which he reiterated in a booklength study in 1978;[4] Howard G. Hageman, of New Brunswick Theological Seminary, maintains that the tradition of celebrating Sinterklaas in New York existed in the early settlement of the Hudson Valley, although he agrees that “there can be no question that by the time the revival of St. Nicholas came with Washington Irving, the traditional New Netherlands observance had completely disappeared.”[5] The Saint Nicholas Society of New York still has a feast on December 6 to this day
quoted text and image source: wikipedia: Sinterklaas
Electronic Greetings Day
One of the most popular online services are Electronic Greeting Cards. And whether they’re called eGreetings or eCards, you can easily send birthday wishes to holiday greetings to friends and family from the comfort of your computer.
Cyber Monday
The Monday after Thanksgiving kicks off the official start of online Christmas shopping. Consumers are back at work and e-tailing on their boss’ Internet dime.
Advent (First Sunday)
Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas and counts down the days until the arrival of Christmas. The term Advent comes from the Latin “adventur”, meaning arrival.
Charles Schulz (cartoonist-Peanuts)
One of America’s most influential cartoonists, the late Charles Schulz is most famous for his comic strip “Peanuts” and its beloved characters including Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Pig Pen and of course Snoopy.
Along with the comic strip Schulz also created 2 of the best television holiday specials ever – “A Charlie Brown Christmas ” and “It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown”.
Today is a special day for us “Charlie Browniacs” and join us as we celebrate with a little music, specifically what has become the signature tune of the Peanuts TV specials – “Linus and Lucy.” Here is a nice interpretation of the tune by David Benoit. Enjoy.
January 6th is the traditional day the Magi, or the Three Kings, visited the Christ Child. They came bearing gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh.
Charles Schulz (cartoonist-Peanuts)
