Ooops! The 12 Days of Christmas are 12/25 - 1/6, now you know!!!

Increased year end marketing efforts now include "advent calendars" and "12 days of Christmas".  The term "advent" and "advent calendar" is a very old tradition of the Church to denote 25 days of reflection and scriptures in preparation for Christmas Day, beginning December 1st. Merriam Webster defines advent as "Advent is a noun that means the period before Christmas, the coming of Christ, or a new arrival."
 
However, there are not 12 days PRIOR to Christmas, despite marketers and retailer's best efforts to steer shoppers to purchase their products within a period of time before the end of the year.

The 12 days of Christmas is actually the time between December 25th and January 6th. Many liturgical Churches acknowledge the 12th day of Christmas, known as Kings Day or Epiphany on January 6th or by leaving their Christmas celebration decor intact until that date. 

The traditional gifts of the Maji gold, frankincense, and myrrh were items which only royalty could afford. Gifts for a King.  Additionally, some commentaries suggest they were a means for Joseph to have financial security as he and Mary and the newborn Jesus travel plans were diverted due to threats by King Herod. They chose a different and lengthier time before returning to Nazareth, within Galilee, their home.  They had traveled to Bethlehem, Josephs hometown, to pay the required taxes, because of an edict by Gaius Vibius Maximus of Egypt.  Ancient papyrus explains why Joseph and Mary had to go to Bethlehem – OpentheWord.org

More News from Los Angeles

• Captured: Thieves Who Stole $1.5k Security Cameras from St. John's Seminary Online presence of one of two security cameras, stolen on 12/14/25 from St. John's Seminary in Camarillo, led to the recovery of the cameras and arrest of an accused perpetrator.
• Santa Monica Mountain Conservancy December Meeting Noteworthy The Conservancy addressed the Canoga Canyon Project in Woodland Hills. They also addressed implementation of Prop 4 wildfire prevention and safe drinking water