For centuries, church calendars in the East and West set the twelve days of Christmas to begin
on Christmas Day and end on January 6, the Feast of Epiphany. It is also know as the day of the
Three Kings (or Wise Men/Magi) Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar.
According to the bible, these three kings saw, on the night when Christ was born, a bright star, followed it to Bethlehem and found here the Christ Child and presented it with gold, fankincense, and myrrh.
January 6, the last day of Christmas, comes with its own traditions. It is a celebrated holiday in many parts of Europe. Carolers are going from house to house; in many homes the Christmas tree is taken down.
For children it is an especially joyous occasion because, associated with taking down the tree goes the "raiding" of the tree.
The sweets, chocolate ornaments wrapped in foil or cookies, which have replaced the sugar plums, are the raiders' rewards.
Most catholic churches have set up a nativity scene with the three kings during the Christmas Season.