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From: stevev@tekchips.UUCP (Steve Vegdahl)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Christmas, Epiphany, etc.
Message-ID: <473@tekchips.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 13-Dec-83 12:26:58 EST
Article-I.D.: tekchips.473
Posted: Tue Dec 13 12:26:58 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 16-Dec-83 01:59:00 EST
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 13

The 12 days of Christmas refer to the days during the religious Christmas
season, which begins on 25 December and runs until the Epiphany season
begins (6 January).  Although Christ's birth is celebrated on 25 December
and the coming of the magi (or wise men) on 6 January, no one is sure of
the dates of either of these.  My understanding of the consensus of
historians is that the magi most likely arrived in Bethlehem more than
a year after the birth of Christ (the Orient Express not having begun
service at that time).  Mary and Joseph would have, of course,
moved out of the stable and into a house (or whatever) by then.  It is
thus likely that scenes depicting the magi visiting the baby Jesus while
he is lying in a manger are not realistic.

			Steve