Sarah Mitchell
The Catholic Church celebrates Christmas as an octave, an eight-day celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, which begins on the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord and ends on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, on January 1. The twelve days of Christmas, including Christmas Day, Saint Stephen's Day, Childermas, New Year's Eve, and the Feast of the Holy Family, are also celebrated by Catholics and many other Christian denominations. The liturgical season of Christmas ends with the celebration of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, observed on the Sunday after the Feast of the Epiphany, which usually falls on the second Sunday of January.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Christmas celebration | 8 days or 12 days |
| Christmas season start date | 24 December at sunset or Vespers |
| Christmas season end date | Sunday after the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, usually the second Sunday of January |
| Christmas tree removal | When it starts shedding needles or as late as February 2 |
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What You'll Learn
- The Christmas season begins on Christmas Eve
- Christmas Day is the second most important day in the Church year
- The Octave of Christmas is an eight-day celebration
- The Twelve Days of Christmas are likely an adaptation of pre-Christian festivals
- The Christmas season ends with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
The Christmas season begins on Christmas Eve
For Catholics, Christmas is a highly significant time of year, second only to Easter. The liturgical season of Christmas begins on Christmas Eve with the Vigil Mass of the Nativity, celebrated at sunset or Vespers. This marks the start of Christmastide, a period of celebration and reflection on the story of Christ's birth.
The Vigil Mass sets the tone for the Christmas season, with the Nativity scene being a popular tradition in many Catholic homes. The Vigil Mass is followed by Christmas Day itself, which is the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. This feast is extended through an octave, an eight-day celebration that begins on Christmas Day and concludes on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, on January 1st. During this octave, all readings and prayers during Mass are related to the birth of Christ, and clergy wear white vestments, except during St. Stephen's Day and the Feast of the Holy Innocents when they wear red.
The Christmas season continues beyond the octave, with various celebrations and feasts. These include Saint Stephen's Day (December 26th), Childermas (December 28th), New Year's Eve (December 31st), and the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ or the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (January 1st). The Feast of the Epiphany, which falls twelve days after Christmas, is a significant celebration marking the revelation that Jesus was the Son of God and the visit of the Magi.
The liturgical season of Christmas concludes with 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. This feast marks the end of the Christmas celebrations, and clergy don green vestments to signify the start of Ordinary Time. While the liturgical season provides a structure, the exact duration of Christmas celebrations can be a personal decision, influenced by individual traditions and customs.
In summary, the Christmas season for Catholics begins on Christmas Eve with the Vigil Mass, ushering in a period of celebration, reflection, and joy. The octave of Christmas extends the festivities, and various feasts and traditions fill the season with meaning and solemnity. The liturgical season concludes with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, though some Catholics may choose to extend their celebrations based on personal traditions.
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Christmas Day is the second most important day in the Church year
The liturgical season of Christmas begins on Christmas Eve with the Vigil Mass of the Nativity and ends with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The date of this feast varies, falling on the Sunday after the Feast of the Epiphany, usually the second Sunday of January. The Epiphany celebrates the revelation that Jesus was the Son of God and marks the day when the Magi encountered Jesus, Mary, and Joseph and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
The Christmas season is also marked by the octave of Christmas, an eight-day celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. The octave begins on the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord and ends on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, on January 1st. During the octave, clergy wear white, except during the Feast of St. Stephen and the Feast of the Holy Innocents, when they wear red.
The twelve days of Christmas, from December 26th to January 5th, are a popular tradition that includes various celebrations such as Saint Stephen's Day, Childermas, New Year's Eve, and the Feast of the Holy Family. The twelve days end on Twelfth Night, which is followed by the season of Epiphanytide.
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The Octave of Christmas is an eight-day celebration
The Octave of Christmas is part of the liturgical season of Christmas, which is a time for Catholics to prepare for and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The liturgical season of Christmas begins with the vigil Masses on Christmas Eve and ends with the celebration of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The exact date of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord can vary, but it typically falls on the Sunday after the Feast of the Epiphany, which is celebrated on the 6th of January.
The Feast of the Epiphany marks the revelation that Jesus was the Son of God and is celebrated twelve days after Christmas. During the Feast of the Epiphany, Catholics commemorate the visit of the Magi, who brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
The liturgical season of Christmas is a joyful and hopeful time for Catholics, as they reflect on the story of Christ's birth and celebrate the gift of God's only son to the world. It is a time for Catholics to come together and participate in traditions such as exchanging gifts, viewing Nativity plays, and decorating their homes with Christmas trees and Nativity scenes.
Overall, the Octave of Christmas is an important eight-day celebration within the liturgical season of Christmas, where Catholics come together to commemorate and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ through various traditions and rituals.
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The Twelve Days of Christmas are likely an adaptation of pre-Christian festivals
The Twelve Days of Christmas, also known as the Twelve Days of Christmastide, are the festive Christian season celebrating the Nativity. Christmas Day is the first day, and the twelve days are from 25 December to 5 January, with the evening of the last day being Twelfth Night or Epiphany Eve. The next morning is Epiphany, which commences the season of Epiphanytide in certain traditions.
The twelve days are filled with various celebrations, including Christmas Day (25 December), Saint Stephen's Day (26 December), Childermas (28 December), New Year's Eve (31 December), the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ or the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (1 January), and the Feast of the Holy Family (date varies). The second day of Christmas, 26 December, is "Saint Stephen's Day", a feast day in the Western Church. In the United Kingdom and its former colonies, it is also the secular holiday of Boxing Day. In some parts of Ireland, it is called "Wren Day". The third day of Christmas, 27 December, is the Feast of Saint John the Evangelist, while the fourth day, 28 December, is Childermass or the Feast of the Holy Innocents, in observance of the Massacre of the Innocents of the Nativity narrative. Herod the Great, king of Judea, ordered the execution of all male children two years old and under in the vicinity of Bethlehem.
The twelve days of Christmas are celebrated differently across various Christian denominations. For instance, in the Anglican Communion or the Lutheran Church, the Twelve Days are identical to Christmastide (December 25 through January 5). However, for the Roman Catholic Church, Christmastide lasts longer, extending through the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, as well as in the Greek Catholic Churches and Byzantine-Rite Lutheran Churches, Christmas is the fourth most important feast.
The twelve days of Christmas are a time for gift-giving, feasting, and celebrating. Some Christians give gifts on each of the twelve days, with each day representing a wish for a corresponding month of the new year. They feast on traditional foods and sing the famous song "The Twelve Days of Christmas", lighting a candle for each day.
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The Christmas season ends with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
For the Catholic Church, the Christmas season runs from 24 December at sunset or Vespers, which is liturgically the beginning of Christmas Day. The Christmas season concludes with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord is celebrated on the Sunday after Epiphany (usually the second Sunday of January). However, if Epiphany falls on 7 or 8 January, the feast is celebrated the following Monday. The Monday following the feast initiates the first week of Ordinary Time.
The Baptism of the Lord celebrates that, before starting his public ministry, Jesus allowed himself to be baptised by St. John the Baptist. Jesus' baptism has been described as a turning of the page in his life, marking the beginning of his public ministry. After his baptism, Jesus actively proclaimed his saving mission and identity as the Son of God.
The connection between Christmas and the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord may seem odd, given that 30 years separate these events in Jesus' life. However, Father Steve Grunow explains that there are three great revelations or "theophanies" in the Christmas season: the incarnation, the Epiphany, and the revelation of the holy Trinity at Jesus' baptism.
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Frequently asked questions
The Christmas season for Catholics is an octave, or an eight-day celebration. It begins on the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord and ends on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, on January 1.
The Christmas octave is a period of eight days during which the clergy wear white and all readings and prayers during the celebration of Mass are related to the birth of Christ.
The liturgical season of Christmas ends with the celebration of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The clergy wear green vestments on this day to mark the beginning of Ordinary Time.
The Twelve Days of Christmas is a popular tradition where gifts are given each day from December 26 to January 6, which is the date of Epiphany.
