We all understand that while the Christmas tradition of gift-giving is most closely linked to the legend of Santa Claus, the origin of the story dates back to St. Nicholas of Myra, a Christian bishop in Myra (modern-day Turkey). A few years ago, on our motorcycle trip through Turkey, we actually stopped in Myra and stood beneath his statue, so I can say I’ve been to the real North Pole. St. Nicholas was known for his generosity, especially to children and the poor. The famous legend was that he secretly gave gold coins (or bags of gold) to save three poor sisters from being sold into servitude, dropping the coins down the chimney, where they landed in stockings hung to dry. He became the patron saint of children and sailors (Myra is on the coast) and his feast day became December 6. The legend then evolved through European cultures. Father Christmas found his way to England, where he was originally a symbol of Christmas feasting and merriment. Père Noël of France was another of the various gift-bringing figures across Europe, often appearing around Christmas or Epiphany. None were more invested in the legend than the Dutch. Dutch settlers brought Sinterklaas to New Amsterdam (New York) in the 1600s. He was depicted as a tall, stern bishop in red robes riding a white horse. He gave gifts to good children on December 5 (St. Nicholas Eve). The name “Sinterklaas” evolved into “Santa Claus” in America. In the 1820s Washington Irving wrote about a jolly St. Nicholas flying over rooftops in a wagon. He helped popularize the Dutch tradition among other Americans.
In 1823, “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (The Night Before Christmas) poem which is attributed to Clement Clarke Moore (though authorship is disputed), transformed Santa’s image into “A right jolly old elf” that arrives on Christmas Eve (not December 6), travels in a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer (he named them all), comes down the chimney, fills stockings with toys, and has a plump, cheerful appearance. In 1870, Thomas Nast, a political cartoonist, created the visual Santa we recognize today. A Coca-Cola ad started in 1931 further standardized and popularized Santa’s appearance as a warm, grandfatherly figure in bright red suit.
But that really doesn’t get at the whole twelve days of Christmas theme that I am thinking about today. You had Sinterklaas (Netherlands/Belgium) still celebrated separately on December 5-6, Christkind (Germany/Austria) where the Christ child brings gifts on the day of his birth, La Befana (Italy), a friendly witch who brings gifts on Epiphany (I have no idea how the Italians got so off-track!), Ded Moroz (Russia) or Father Frost, accompanied by Snegurochka (the Snow Maiden) and Joulupukki (Finland), which is literally a “Christmas Goat,” that has evolved into a Santa-like figure. The Religious Tradition of the Twelve Days of Christmas is the period in Christian theology from December 25 (Christmas Day) to January 5, the day before Epiphany (January 6). This represents the time between Jesus’s birth and the arrival of the Magi (Three Wise Men). The season ends with Twelfth Night on January 5 or Epiphany on January 6, depending on the tradition.
The Twelve Days of Christmas is an English cumulative song that dates back centuries. It was first published in 1780 in a children’s book called Mirth Without Mischief. It likely originated as a “memory-and-forfeit game” where players had to remember all the previous verses and add the new one. It was probably much older than the first written version, passed down through oral tradition. Each verse adds a new gift…you know… on the 1st day, a partridge in a pear tree…on the 2nd day, two turtle doves, and so on, and so on. The structure creates a cumulative counting song that builds with each verse. The song is generally considered to have English or French origins and some scholars suggest it may have roots in French folk tradition. The melody we know today was published in 1909 by Frederic Austin. There’s a popular but historically unsupported theory that the song was a coded catechism for Catholics in England during penal times. Now a staple Christmas carol worldwide, it has inspired countless parodies and variations. In fact, the “cost of Christmas” calculations (adding up all the gifts) has become an annual economic tradition you may have run across.
So, that brings us to to today…January 5th, Twelfth Night, the day before Epiphany. Epiphany is a Christian feast day celebrated on January 6 that commemorates the revelation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles (non-Jews). The word “epiphany” comes from Greek, meaning “manifestation” or “revelation.” Epiphany feast celebrates or commemorates different events depending on Christian tradition. Western Christianity (Catholic, Protestant, Anglican) primarily celebrates the visit of the Magi (Three Wise Men) to baby Jesus. As we all know, they followed the Christmas star to Bethlehem bringing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This symbolizes Christ being revealed to all nations. In Eastern Christianity (Orthodox Churches), the focus is on Jesus’s Baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. This was the moment God’s voice declared Jesus as His Son, the Holy Spirit descended like a dove, and the Trinity was revealed. The blessed event is also called Theophany or the “manifestation of God” or “Three Kings Day” or “The Feast of the Epiphany”. So December 25 to January 5 are the Twelve Days of Christmas. That means January 5 is Twelfth Night (the evening before Epiphany) and January 6 is Epiphany (the twelfth day). It’s celebrated often by blessing of homes with chalk (writing “C+M+B” and the year on doorframes – standing for either the traditional names Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar, or the Latin phrase “Christus mansionem benedicat” meaning “May Christ bless this house”).
These days there is less gift-giving on Epiphany, but it still represents the traditional end of Christmas, which means its when Christmas decorations are traditionally taken down (though some wait until Candlemas on February 2). Despite the fact that the feast represents a crucial moment in Christian theology when Jesus’s identity and mission were revealed to the wider world, whether through the Magi representing the Gentiles or through God’s voice at his baptism declaring his divine sonship, what I feel is an obligation to put away all those bows and bulbs and wreaths that I put up around the hilltop. I do the outdoor stuff and Kim does the real heavy lifting (like always in our family) by handling the vast amount of indoor decorations. We will be done by tomorrow. The Magi would be impressed and God and neighborhood know that we are on top of our Christmas game.