'Little Christmas'

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 1, 3 January 1907, Page 33

'Little Christmas'

- January^ G, - the " Feast of ' the Epiphany" and the end of the holidays, .is called ' Little Christmas, 1 'Old Christmas,"' 'or, ' Twelfth Day.' In the Greek

Church the festival is coincident with the celebration of Christmas, and is called ' The Day of Lights.' ' In - ' Merrie England *of olden times the Catholic sovereigns on this day offered in the Chapel Royal an oblation, of gold, _ f rankincense, and. myrrh in commem-oration-of the gift-giving of the Three Wise" 'Men to the Babe of Bethlehem. ' . . The story .of the Magi" is one of the most enchanting narratives- in Holy Scripture. The tender, helpless, little-, Babe, the lovely girl-mother, the -venerable foster'father, the shepherds from the Judean hills, ami the cattle in the stalls— all about the Mother and "Child are poor; and .simple until ' from the East' in Oriental splendof three .Jvings come to the stable of ' Bethlehem to worship the King of -Kings. . - These three kings, Caspar, Melchoir, and Balthasar, descended from Ham, Shorn,- and Japbeth, represented the three families of mankind, African, Asiatic,- - and European, and typified the world-dominion of Christianity. When the Loid of Misrule held sway in the secular celebration of Chridtniasti-de during 'the Middle Ages, Twelfth JSlight was 'by no means ' the last of the which for "Misrule and his often unruly followers extended from Hallowe'en until Candlemas Day — three full months. x Certainly- they ,had time to waste' in play long- ago. In these busy times Merry Christmas has come -to mean only one day, although in our churches the Christmas Crib" remains on. view during the "entire - holiday season.