December 27th - Feast of St. John the Evangelist

The third day of Christmas honors the memory of St. John.  He and his brother James were chosen as the third and fourth apostles by Jesus. He is thought to be the only apostle to have lived to old age and not be martyred.  There is a story that he was served poison wine which did not kill him because he blessed it prior to drinking it.  It is a custom on his feast day to drink mulled wine and toast "I drink you the love of St. John" to each person who then responds "I thank you for the love of St. John." 

After Jesus' death John wrote his gospel as well as Revelation.  He may have lived and died in Ephesus or on the island of Patmos.