Christmas is not just one day, but a season of thirteen days from sunset Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) through Epiphany (Jan. 6).
The thirteenth day of Christmas, Epiphany, an even more ancient Christian celebration than Christmas, originally focused on the nativity, God's incarnation (God made flesh) in the birth of Jesus Christ and Christ's baptism. Today, it commemorates the visiting of the Christ Child by the Magi (Wise Men) with their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Gift giving in some cultures extends throughout the 13 days of Christmas; elsewhere, gift giving is limited to Christmas Eve or Christmas Day or Jan. 5 or 6.
See 12 creative, simple ideas to help celebrate the season.
This content was produced by Ask The UMC, a ministry of United Methodist Communications.
