Christmas Eve and Christmas Day have come and gone, but the celebrations continue!
“After the annual celebration of the Paschal Mystery, the Church has no more ancient custom than celebrating the memorial of the Nativity of the Lord and of his first manifestations, and this takes place in Christmas time,” read the Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the General Roman Calendar (32).
The ancient commemoration of the birth of our Lord and Savior resounds through the ages and occupies a pivotal place in the Christian life. Faithful around the world mark the solemn occasion of our salvation with extra prayers, Mass attendance, sacramental participation and family traditions.
But when does the Christmas season really end, and when do we get back to the “ordinary” time of life?
The “12 Days of Christmas” speak into the question, but what if I told you there were 19 days of Christmas this year? That sure is a lot of lords a'leaping and plenty of partridges in pear trees!
According to the same Universal Norms, “Christmas Time runs from First Vespers (Evening Prayer I) of the Nativity of the Lord [Christmas Eve] up to and including the Sunday after the Epiphany or after 6 January,” which is designated as the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (n. 33, 38). This year, that important feast falls on Sunday, January 12, giving us a whole extra week of Christmas hope and joy!
Of those 19 days of Christmas, the first eight — the Octave of Christmas — are the most important. In fact, each day within those eight is celebrated as a mini-Christmas! One of only two octaves in the liturgical calendar, the Christmas Octave calls us to keep the celebrations going!
Those who appreciate history and tradition might remember a time when the Christmas season extended even further, all the way to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on Feb. 2!
The feast, which celebrates Jesus’ presentation in the Temple in accord with Jewish law, was also known as “Candlemas” because of an ancient tradition of blessing the candles to be used throughout the liturgical year on the pivotal feast day. As Jesus, the Light of the World, enters the world, our lives and the Temple, the Church blessed the lights to be used in worship and prayer, reminding us of just who those candles burn for.
While current norms place the end of the Christmas season on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we continue to remember the life-changing reality of the Incarnation during the Christmas season and every day. So, no matter which of the 19 days of Christmas you take your trees or decorations down, be sure to pause and remember: Jesus was born for you.
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