Grace Thompson
The Catholic Church celebrates Christmas for a variable number of days, with the Christmas season beginning on Christmas Eve at sunset or Vespers and ending on the Sunday after Epiphany or the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which falls on the Sunday after the Feast of the Epiphany. The Octave of Christmas, an eight-day celebration, begins on the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and ends on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, on January 1st. The 12 days of Christmas, popularized by the sixteenth-century secular carol The Twelve Days of Christmas, likely have pre-Christian roots and fall between two major Christian feasts: the Nativity on Christmas Day and Epiphany, celebrated on January 6th.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Start of Christmas celebration | Sunset or Vespers on 24 December |
| Christmas Day | 25 December |
| Saint Stephen's Day | 26 December |
| Childermas | 28 December |
| New Year's Eve | 31 December |
| Feast of the Circumcision of Christ or the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God | 1 January |
| Feast of the Holy Family | Date varies |
| End of Christmas celebration | Sunday after Epiphany or after 6 January |
| Duration | 12 days |
| Christmas tree | Popular symbol of the season |
| Christmas gifts | Exchanged with family and friends |
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What You'll Learn
The Christmas season begins on Christmas Eve
For the Catholic Church, the Christmas season, or Christmastide, begins liturgically at sunset on Christmas Eve, or Vespers, with the Christmas Eve Vigil Masses celebrating the Nativity of the Lord. This is the vigil of the feast of Christmas Day.
The Christmas season is preceded by Advent, which begins about four weeks before Christmas. In 2022, Pope Francis encouraged the daily preparation of hearts for the coming of Christ during Advent.
The Christmas season includes several celebrations, such as Christmas Day, Saint Stephen's Day, Childermas, New Year's Eve, the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ or the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and the Feast of the Holy Family.
The Octave of Christmas, an eight-day celebration, begins on the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and ends on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, on January 1st. The Octave extends the celebration of the birth of Christ, with all readings and prayers during Mass related to His birth. The clergy wear white during these eight days, except on St. Stephen's Day and the Feast of the Holy Innocents, when they wear red.
The twelve days of Christmas, popularised by the sixteenth-century secular carol, "The Twelve Days of Christmas", likely have pre-Christian roots. These twelve days fall between two major Christian feasts: the Nativity on Christmas Day and Epiphany on January 6th. The twelve days are also said to be the time it took the Three Kings, or Magi, to journey to baby Jesus. The revelation of Jesus as the Son of God to the Magi is celebrated on Epiphany.
The liturgical season of Christmas ends with the celebration of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which falls on the Sunday after the Feast of the Epiphany, marking the beginning of Ordinary Time.
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The 12 days of Christmas
The specific dates of the 12 Days of Christmas can vary slightly depending on tradition. Some traditions hold that the 12 days begin on Christmas Day (December 25) and end on January 5, the day before Epiphany. Others consider the 12 days to start on December 26, the day after Christmas, and end on Epiphany (January 6). In the Catholic Church, the Christmas season may be extended beyond the 12 days, with some sources noting that it can run up to and including the Sunday after Epiphany or after January 6.
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The Epiphany
The roots of the feast of the Epiphany can be traced back to the early Church in the East. The name "Epiphany" comes from the Greek words "phainein", meaning "to show, to display", and "epi-", meaning "on, to". Thus, the feast of the Epiphany is a celebration of the manifestation or showing of Jesus Christ to the world. The feast emerged in the East on 6 January, while the feast of Christmas emerged in the West on 25 December. The two feasts had different cultural and religious contexts but shared the same fundamental meaning: the celebration of the birth of Christ.
The celebration of the Epiphany varies depending on the country and the Christian denomination. In some countries, the Epiphany is a holy day of obligation, celebrated on 6 January. This date holds significance as it is believed that it took the Three Kings or Magi twelve days to journey to the infant Jesus, and their arrival and recognition of Jesus as the Son of God is commemorated on the Epiphany. This belief is reflected in the popular Christmas carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas", which likely has pre-Christian roots in the winter festivals of northern Europe.
In the United States, the Catholic Church celebrates the Epiphany on the Sunday between 2 and 8 January, or the first Sunday after 1 January. This variation in the date of celebration is due to the transfer of the feast day from its traditional date to a nearby Sunday, a practice sometimes followed by the Catholic Church. The celebration of the Epiphany marks the end of the Christmas season for Catholics, with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord falling on the Sunday after the Epiphany and marking the beginning of Ordinary Time.
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The Octave of Christmas
The twelve days of Christmas are made popular by the sixteenth-century secular carol, "The Twelve Days of Christmas". The twelve days of Christmas begin on either 25 or 26 December and end on 5 or 6 January, the traditional date of Epiphany. The twelve days of Christmas and Twelfth Night are not official liturgical celebrations but are more of a popular tradition.
In the United States, the Catholic Christmas season begins with the Christmas Eve Vigil Masses, celebrating the Nativity of the Lord, and ends on the Sunday of the Baptism of the Lord, which falls on the Sunday after the Feast of the Epiphany. In 2024-2025, this date is 12 January.
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The end of Christmas celebrations
The end date of Christmas celebrations for Catholics depends on several factors. Firstly, the liturgical season of Christmas ends with the celebration of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which falls on the Sunday after the Feast of the Epiphany. This is usually the second Sunday of January. Ordinary Time then begins the day after the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
The twelve days of Christmas and Twelfth Night are not official liturgical celebrations but are observed in popular tradition. These twelve days of Christmas begin on either the 25th of December or the 26th and end on the 5th or 6th of January, the traditional date of Epiphany. The Octave of Christmas is an eight-day celebration that begins on the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and ends on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, on the 1st of January.
In the United States, the Catholic Christmas season in 2024-2025 will begin with Christmas Eve Vigil Masses and end on the 12th of January, the Baptism of the Lord. In the Catholic Church, Epiphany is celebrated on the Sunday between the 2nd and 8th of January.
Candlemas, or the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, falls on the 2nd of February, and is considered by some to be the last day of the Christmas season.
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Frequently asked questions
Catholics celebrate Christmas for 12 days, from Christmas Eve or Christmas Day on 25 December to the Epiphany on 6 January. The 12 days of Christmas are a popular tradition and not official liturgical celebrations.
The 12 days of Christmas fall between two major Christian feasts: the Nativity on Christmas Day and the Epiphany. During this period, Catholics may attend church services, listen to Christmas music, and exchange gifts.
The Octave of Christmas is an eight-day celebration that begins on the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord and ends on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, on 1 January.
The liturgical season of Christmas ends with the celebration of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which falls on the Sunday after the Feast of the Epiphany, usually the second Sunday of January.
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