CHRISTMASTIDE is the 12 days from Christmas Day (December 25) to day before the Season of Epiphany starts (January 5) and the coming of the Magi, the three wise men.
While the Christmas carol, “The 12 Days of Christmas” has not been proven that it was written to help Christians learn and pass on the tenets of their faith while avoiding persecution. It is nonetheless a fun carol to learn and sing each year around this time.
Four Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists (some versions say “colly” birds. This is an archaic term meaning black as coal (blackbirds, in other words).
-
- Matthew
- Mark
- Luke
- John
Source: https://anglicancompass.com/the-12-days-of-christmas-guide-to-christmastide/; https://www.vox.com/21796404/12-days-of-christmas-explained