Welcome, sit with me in my living room.
You’re most likely aware that The Three Wise Men, whose travel started with Baby Jesus’s birth, didn’t arrive at that manger until the twelfth night. Well, to be exact, that day is today, January 06th.
In some countries, today is the day that children receive presents from the three wise men; in others, according to my parents, it’s the day when some children receive a visit from the wise men to take back Christmas presents from ungrateful children *wink.* You gotta love the sound of that!
Anyway, today marks the end of the Christmas Season in keeping with the Catholic Church’s official schedule. Feast of the Epiphany, the Church calls it.
My parents borrowed from that tradition and kept ‘everything Christmas’ to guide the Wise Men to The Manger until the weekend leading to this day. With my father at the helm, we took down all decorations and gently put Christmas back into boxes, transporting everything back to Grandma’s attic.
After Father passed, the shop display window was no more, and Mother kept the house adorned until the week school started. That week, the young ‘uns would come home from school to less red and green until, at last, they’d morph into new activities, pleased that the wise men didn’t stop by our house to take back the gifts received from Santa.
I have believed in the Christmas story and the Three Wise Men for all of my adult life. It’s what I know. Even today, I keep my house in Christmas colors that will disappear tomorrow.
Years ago, an old roommate with Russian roots refrained from opening the Christmas presents I’d give her on Christmas Day. “I’ll open on New Year’s Day,” she’d say, smiling, “that’s when Ded Moroz, our Russian Santa, comes to children in Russia.”
And so we had presents to open on New Year’s Day.
She also requested that our small decorated tree stay up until January 7th. Coming from a place where I knew about the Three Wise Men arriving on January 6th, I had no problem with her request except that it sounded strange that she called our tree a New Year’s tree. No biggie. I embraced her traditions without question, happy that our little tree helped preserve our different upbringing and traditions.
Do you have any such customs? Would you share them with me in the comments?
I hope your Christmas Season was splendid: happy end of the holiday ‘Season,’ a fantabulous New Year. May the New Year bring you closer to fulfilling the desires you hold dearest in your heart, and most of all, I Wish You Miracles.
I celebrate everyone, regardless of beliefs.
May joy abide in your home, may last month’s exuberance and merriment, I’m sure, put a skip in your step at year’s end, stay with you until December is followed by another new year.
Main Photo: JamesDeMers; Pixabay.
My prediction: Something amazingly awesome will come to you this year. Ready your hearts for it, dear friends.
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Selma, thank you for sharing worldwide traditions that not everyone’s aware of. When I was younger, the Three Wise Men (in Mexico we know them as ‘Los Tres Reyes Magos’, or the Three Wizard Kings, which sounds way more fantasy-like now that I think about it) would come and leave a present each if we left a pair of shoes by the Christmas tree. It was something so magical that I believed it until my early adolescence. Now that I’m older, I look back at those times with a smile, because those traditions created moments with your loved ones, smiles that will forever be embedded in my memory. I want to thank you for reminding me of that. Also, I’m looking forward to seeing the changes. I’m sure they’ll be for the better! (and if you ever need a little wise friend yourself, don’t hesitate to ask yours truly)
Hello Ale, woohoo, happy you came and that you found something that took you back to THAT time. Living in a country that shared a border with your country made some of your customs accessible. My parents used it to their advantage, though they didn’t need to; we were always grateful for the presents we received from good old Santa Claus. Having beliefs like those kept us mindful. It was a good exercise on Mindfulness, I think. (Maybe)
You are precious. I appreciate you. Thanks for the comment. I Wish You Miracles.
Yep. Presents on New Year’s Eve and Dedek Mraz in my language, Slovenian. 😉 No Christmas celebrations in Yugoslavia at all until 1990.
Yes, yes, Vesela told me that and I still remember. I bless you my sweet. I appreciate your lovely feedback. I’m starting the year this week it seems, so forgive me if I haven’t arrived at your place yet. Your following is huge, so you don’t need me, but I love your blog and interacting with you. I will get there. Give me time. xoxo Happy New Year.
Ahh, Selma, huge following? Glad you think so but I always appreciate each of you and never think of you all as a bulk. I always give and take time most gladly. 🙂 We are always just in time! Be well!
Bless you, my sweet. Thanks. Always just in time. 😉
Happy New Year, Selma! I didn’t grow up celebrating Epiphany but am waiting expectantly for a revelation today 🙂 Being of Dutch heritage, one of my college roommates celebrated SinterKlaas Day on Dec. 6 with gifts in stockings. My husband and I continue that tradition with our children and grandchildren with gifts “early”. Then on Christmas Day, we focus on Christ’s birth with worship and a special meal. I plan to take down the decorations today but enjoy seeing lights long after the holidays.
Much joy to you Selma, I hope this new year brings you many happy moments
Having packed away Christmas as per my traditions, I was tempted to keep the three travelling kings out in respect of the Eastern orthodoxy’s Christmas (and Serbian friends) and that wonderful poem of Eliot’s “The Journey of the Maji”. May your New Year be filled with joy and luck!
Thanks so much, Laura. The Maji need to be recognized too and Epiphany IS there day.
I wish you the same in the new year, dear friend. And Miracles too. Expect them xoxo