The Twelfth Day of Christmas & Three King's Day

Celebrating January 6th as a New Family Tradition

Each year, on January 6th, families will spend the day recognizing and observing the Epiphany, also known as Three King's Day. It is on this day that families, across the World, celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and the beginning of the new church. In fact, it is this day that many consider to be the twelfth day of Christmas. As a new holiday tradition, marking special events in honor on Three King's Day, celebrating with family and giving back to community will provide for an extension of the holiday season.

January 6th is considered, around the World, as the end of the Advent and Christmas season. In Christian history, it is believed that January 6th marks the Twelfth Day of Christmas; twelve days following the birth of Jesus Christ. It is on Three King's Day that wise men visit the nativity, present gifts and acknowledge the birth of Jesus as a historical event. For some Christian families, Three King's Day is the date on which Christmas presents are exchanged.

As a new holiday tradition, consider marking Three King's Day as an ending to your Christmas celebration and a day to begin recognizing what the birth of Jesus means to Christianity. It is on this day that final celebrations may take place such as a family meal, visiting homeless shelters, visiting nursing homes and even volunteering in a local school. As a new tradition, mark January 6th as the date on which to begin, or continue, to spread the word of Christianity.

As an alternative to evangelical activities, some individuals, when celebrating Three King's Day, will mark the event through family night activities. With a celebration dinner, and a final exchanging of gifts, it is January 6th as the date on which families will begin to put away Christmas decorations and disassemble the Christmas tree. When doing so, mark this day as a family affair in which all members of the family participate in a Three King's Day Celebration. This will provide an opportunity to begin a new family tradition and extend the holiday from Christmas, through the New Year and mark the Twelfth Day of Christmas, honoring the wise men who visited the Nativity.