Stop! Christmas is not over yet!
By Caitlin Bootsma
Consultant to the VIRTUS® Programs
If you or your kids are one of those people who experience a post-Christmas slump on December 26, take heart!
Christmas is not over yet! The “12 Days of Christmas” is a song referring to the twelve days after Christmas, the days leading up to the Epiphany. Though not commonly celebrated in the United States, the Church gives us twelve days to celebrate the birth of Our Lord!
If you have ever been to Italy (or a number of other European countries) in Advent, you will quickly notice something—there is a curious lack of Christmas celebrations going on. Sure, there are gifts being promoted and sold, and you will definitely see some yellow lights strung across alleyways, but in general, public spaces are much like they are the rest of the year. Instead of Shopping Mall Santas and cookie exchanges, there is a quiet spirit of anticipation and, of course, a richness to the Church liturgies anticipating the birth of Christ.
However, this hopeful silence explodes at Christmas! And by Christmas, I mean Christmas day and the many days that come after. Suddenly, people come out in droves into the public squares—conversing and offering well wishes to one another. Christmas markets are common; one I recall ran for almost a month after Christmas. Much like a summer carnival, there were booths selling delicious treats, music being played and people spending time with family and friends. For many a Roman, Christmas would not be complete without a glass of prosecco and a porchetta sandwich from the market.
While these post-Christmas celebrations may seem strange to our American sensibilities, they actually make a lot of sense. Liturgically, the days before Christmas are a time of expectation, prayer and even penance. It is not a time of celebration—after all, we are waiting for Christ, but He is not yet here.
In the same vein, once Christmas day is over, it does not mean we should stop celebrating. After all, do you think Jesus was born one day and people felt a post-Christmas let down the next day? No! From Scripture we know that after Christ was born, the angels rejoiced, the shepherds went to adore Him and the Three Kings followed a star to meet the Son of God.
In fact, Christmas officially extends from December 25 until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, traditionally celebrated on January 11. We mirror the celebration of the angels and the shepherds when we continue to rejoice in the birth of Jesus Christ. After all, His birth is worth celebrating. When He came to earth, He made it possible for us to go to Heaven one day!
How you celebrate these “12 days of Christmas” is up to you. I know many people are blessed to be able to take off some days of work during this time to spend quality time with family and friends. When I worked for a Bishop, we had an office Epiphany party instead of having a Christmas party during Advent. And do not forget to get more use out of your Christmas tree and decorations; leave them up until the Epiphany.
Additionally, you can relive the days following Christmas with the children in your life. You might choose to take them to the Church to see the Nativity set up close, describing the roles of the shepherds, angels and Kings depicted. You can read from Scripture the story of the Nativity and of the many visits the Child Jesus received. There are a number of wonderful Christmas books for children that also can continue to be read throughout the Christmas season.
In her wisdom, the Church gives us seasons of penance (Lent), ordinary time where we focus on growing in virtue through our daily work and seasons of joy at Christmas and Easter! We certainly should give Christmas the recognition it is due. So bake one more batch of cookies, sing one more carol and give thanks to the Lord for coming into the world!
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