Wishing a Merry Christmas in January

January 6 is one of the most holy days for Christians around the world! For some, it's the day the three Wise Men finally saw the Baby Jesus in the manger. It's known as the Epiphany meaning the "manifestation of God." January 6 is also the day Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan by John the Baptist, known as Theophany, the appearance of God, when according to the Bible, God spoke from heaven and a white dove appeared. And then, for Armenians, Russians and others who follow the "old Julian calendar," that's 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar, that most of us use in the world, January 6 is Christmas Day! So why do some celebrate Christmas in December and others in January? Because the date was changed from January 6 to December 25 in the 4th century due to conflicts with pagan religions in the West. Most went along with the change, but obviously, others didn't. What's interesting to note, though, is that for 4 centuries, Christmas was observed on January 6 around the world. So, January 6 is the original Christmas celebration.