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John Lane

Beacon Correspondent

The Epiphany is a traditional Christian festival in early January celebrating the manifestation of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. Technically, it should occur each year on Jan. 6, but practically, it is celebrated on the first or second weekend following Christmas each year. Part of the legend of Twelfth Night was that the Three Wise Men (the Magi) paid homage to the infant Jesus Christ in his Bethlehem manger.

Following Twelfth Night the next day is called "Twelfth Day" or the Epiphany, a day of celebrations which historically is the last day of the Christmas holiday celebration often also a day for the exchange of gifts. Twelfth Night and Twelfth Day are honored and celebrated in some Christian Churches.

Twelfth Night, however, is locally a special event for the Northcoast Scottish Society of Humboldt County. The fun loving local Scots annually start Twelfth Night celebration with a pot luck dinner. Contrary to the legend that Scots are thrifty, they usually exceed each other in the quality, quantity and tastiness of the food articles they bring to a pot luck dinner. After dinner the Scots commence the exchange of gifts with some special ground rules. Here are those rules:

Each person choosing to compete in the gift exchange brings a wrapped Christmas gift of a prescribed value. This year a minimum value of $ 15.00 was the last prescribed value level. Many of the gifts, especially those bottles of alcoholic beverages obviously exceed the minimum prize cost. Bottles of single malt Scotch whiskey always exceed the minimum value and are target gifts in the game.

Wrapped packages that gurgle and reveal that they are bottles of liquid are targets for the canny thirsty Scots in making their gift choices. However some rascals conceal the nature of a beverage gift by packaging them in oversized square packages. Some experienced players shake the packaged gift to see if it gurgles - a dead giveaway of liquid prizes.

Each participant draws a numbered ticket that defines the sequence of his or her r being the current game player. After selecting their choice of wrapped gift package the player tears the gift package open and displays the contents of the package to the other players.

Then the next player either selects a wrapped gift package or demands surrender of one of the last two displayed prizes. The former holder of the commandeered gift then is permitted to either select a new wrapped gift or commandeer some other person's gift.

And so it goes until all players have some gift. Clearly, players with good memories have a great advantage in this unique gift exchange game.

In summary, although there is much drama as individuals lose a desirable raffle gift, the bottom line is that every player seems to end up with a meaningful gift prize and there no losers.

Any reader interested in details of the activity of the Northcoast Scottish Society can call 764-5004 to ask about membership and share a year-long series of Scottish events in Humboldt County.

photos by John Lane/Beacon

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Doris DeLong enjoying the humor and novelty of the Twelfth Night no-holds-barred gift exchange.

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Flo Lane opens her raffle gift and seems satisfied with her luck.