Christmastide ends tomorrow

Christmastide always ends on the solemnity of the Epiphany which was also called Twelfth Night. That is why there is a popular Christmas song entitled The Twelve Days of Christmas. Actually that name is a misnomer because the twelve days referred to are not of, but after Christmas.

Now the term Twelfth Night and the song itself no longer applies to the Christmas celebration. Why? Because the Vatican has converted the Epiphany into a movable feast commemorated on the Sunday between January 2 and 8. So the Epiphany now always falls on a Sunday. It is the date when it is observed that varies annually. This year Epiphany Sunday falls on the 6th. So we will be commemorating it in its old traditional date and we will be observing 12 days of Christmas.

Epiphany is actually a Greek word that means manifestation. It is supposed to mark the occasion when Christ was recognized as the Messiah, the divine Son of God. This was supposed to have been manifested by the wise men from the east who went to pay homage to the Infant Jesus. Here is that account as recorded in the gospel of St. Matthew:

"When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea… behold Magi came from the East to Jerusalem." There was no mention that they were kings. They presented the Lord with three gifts – gold, frankincense and myrrh. Later they were said to be kings and because there were three gifts, it was assumed that the wise men were three in number. They also required names: Melchor meaning "king of light"; Gaspar, the "white one"; Balthazar, "the lord of treasures." The three also came to represent three different generations. Gaspar was supposed to be young. Melchor became middle-aged. Balthazar stood for the aged. Later Balthazar also represented the Negro race.

In the Philippines, the solemnity of the Epiphany was popularly known as the Feast of the Three Kings. Christmas gifts were exchanged during the Three Kings and not during Christmas. It was only after the coming of the Americans that Santa Claus replaced the Three Kings and Christmas gifts were given on the 25th of December instead of the Feast of the Three Kings. But the Three Kings are as much a myth as Santa Claus.

Fr. Horacio de la Costa S.J. wrote a poem that said in part:

And if you ask why I affirm

That Melchior was King of Tondo,

When Gaspar ruled Sampaloc,

And Balthazar Binondo –

We will not argue – we will walk

The streets on Christmas Eve,

And I will show you the poor man’s rafter

Where hangs the star of kings sought after,

High above Christian prayer – and laughter –

You will see it, and believe!

For when they crossed the sea again

From Bethlehem afar,

They lost their camels in the sea,

And they forgot the Christmas tree,

But they brought back to you and me the secret of the Star.

That’s how all myths begin!

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This year Epiphany Sunday falls on the 6th. So we will be commemorating it in its old traditional date and we will be observing 12 days of Christmas.