Christmas
In the Christian church,the period of time preceding Christmas is called Advent. It starts about five Sundays before Christmas Day. There are twelve days of Christmas, from December 25 through January 6, the Epiphany. December 25 is Christmas day. Joseph and Mary were pledged to be married, when Mary was visited by Gabriel, the angel, who told her that she would give birth to a child and she was to name him Jesus. When Mary told Joseph, he was scared and was going to divorce her secretly. An angel came to Joseph also and told him not to be scared. Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem because Caesar Augustus had ordered a census of all of the people under his rule. When Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem, Joseph's hometown, there was no room at the inn. They were placed in a stable behind the inn and Mary gave birth to baby Jesus. January 6 is the Epiphany, or the day that three wise men supposedly came to visit baby Jesus and to worship Him. They presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. January 6 is the end of the Christmas season.
