Epiphany and Twelfth Night

January 6th is Epiphany and Twelfth Night, the end of the 12 Days of Christmas. The Magi bring their gifts to the Holy Family and decide to go home. Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus leave Bethlehem for Egypt to escape the slaughter of the innocents under King Herod. Terrified of the prophecy of the coming Messiah/King he has all newborn boy babies slaughtered in his kingdom to remove the threat, certain the coming King has been born. The Magi gifts include gold and myrrh which was even more valuable than gold. Myrrh was used for embalming and foreshadows the prophecy of crucifixtion of the King of Kings. The Holy Family leaves provided for by God to return to the land of slavery and exodus...Egypt.

Christmas in the Park ~ San Jose, CA

Every year, the City of San Jose puts together Christmas in the Park, which is a charming combination of mechanical Christmas scenes, elves and trains, and hundreds of Christmas trees decorated by civic groups, boy and girl scout troops, schools, etc. put together in Cesar Chavez Park which is in downtown San Jose. Santa has a special cottage where children can sit on his lap whispering their secrets in his ear. My friend Ramona and I visited the Park, throwing coins in buckets to help support it for next year, strolling among the trees, becoming annoyed with a wild boy who was chasing a squirrel like he never saw one before. I found this charming tree, different from all the other trees. I just couldn't resist sharing.

The most popular spot was the wishing well. The kids were swarming all over it. The magic of wishing is contagious.

Across the street from the Park is the swankiest hotel in town, The Fairmont. Inside was a life size gingerbread house. Well, we went in and looked up close, walked through it and the house looked like gingerbread but it was wood. However, outside on the sides were two huge Christmas trees with gingerbread cookies all over them. Here is a close-up of the cookies.