Growing up, my mother often referred to Epiphany as Little Christmas. I’m not sure where the term comes from– she was raised and educated Catholic in Nova Scotia– but it makes sense. Epiphany, January 6, is the feast of the Magi, or three kings, finding and visiting the infant Jesus, and the time between Christmas and January 6 are what make up those 12 Days of Christmas. That much I know.
Today– er, yesterday– once again in the car and on the radio I heard Garrison Keillor describing how George and Martha Washington did not celebrate Christmas back then except by going to church (how refreshing!), but 12th night, for some reason the night before the 6th, was when they had parties and feasts.
In France soon after the 25th one finds galettes des rois in all the boulangers-pâtisseries, a delicious frangipane flaky tart with a fève baked in– whoever gets the fève has good fortune for the year and gets to wear the gold (paper) crown that comes with the galette. I loved this tradition, for the delicious tart but also because it was something special after the possible void after Christmas.
Living in places where the galette was not available I learned to make it myself, and it is not too difficult– here is a good recipe, using frozen puff pastry, because. Coming on the heels of my son’s birthday, for which over many years I would have spent the days before New Years assembling bûches de Noël, it was enough! A tradition we shared and enjoyed however the galette was procured, and I saved a few cute fèves along the way. 
My Mexican students today described the variation there, roscón de reyes, baked in a ring. There are many Epiphany cakes throughout the world…write and tell of others you know!
It is nice to have a littler Christmas to celebrate, if you want, after the hubbub of the big one has passed. And for those for whom the holidays may be laden and heavy and sad, Little Christmas may be just the right measure of less in-your-face festivity, a chance to celebrate a little something just as the light begins to lengthen but when the winter has yet to really deepen. A ray of grace at a time of cold and dark.
So– have yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Let your heart be light xo