Sarah Mitchell
The Twelve Days of Christmas is a sacred and festive season in the Catholic Church, celebrated by many Catholics worldwide. It begins on Christmas Day, the first day of Christmastide, and ends on the eve of the Epiphany on January 5th. The tradition is rooted in the Christian belief of the Incarnation, commemorating Jesus' birth and humanity. The twelve days are filled with religious and secular celebrations, feast days, and special liturgies. Catholics attend daily Mass, observe solemnities like the Feast of St. Stephen, and reflect on the Nativity of Jesus. The season is marked by joy and festivity, with decorations, prayers, and the popular song The Twelve Days of Christmas, which holds a deeper Catholic meaning.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of days | 12 full days |
| Starting day | Christmas Day |
| Ending day | Eve of Epiphany |
| Date range | December 25th to January 5th |
| Octave of Christmas | 8 official solemn days of rejoicing |
| Feast days | St. Stephen, St. John the Evangelist, St. Thomas Becket, St. Sylvester I, Mary Mother of God, St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory Nazianzen, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. John Neumann |
| Other celebrations | New Year's Day, Epiphany, Baptism of the Lord |
| Activities | Going to daily Mass, Adoration, resting, leaving Christmas decorations up, saving Christmas cards, praying, making a king's cake, hosting a dinner party |
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What You'll Learn
Celebrate the octave of Christmas
Christmas is celebrated as a season, not just a day. The 12 days of Christmas begin on Christmas Day, which is considered the first day of Christmastide in Catholicism, Lutheranism, and Anglicanism. The Octave of Christmas is an eight-day period that includes the actual feast, with the eighth day also referred to as the "octave day." The octave day is observed with greater solemnity than the preceding six "days within the octave."
The Octave of Christmas, therefore, spans from Christmas Day to January 1st, the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. Each day within the octave is treated as the original feast day of the Nativity of the Lord. The Gloria is repeated each day of the octave, and there are four feast days within the octave: St. Stephen, St. John the Evangelist, the Holy Innocents, and the Holy Family.
The octave is a time to reflect on the mysteries, joys, and graces of the principal feasts of the Church year. The number eight symbolizes perfection or rest and is often associated with Jewish festival customs. During the octave, Catholics may attend daily Mass or Adoration and take time to rest in the peace of Christ.
The 12 days of Christmas end on the Epiphany on January 6th. This day is celebrated with a king's cake, where a hollow baby Jesus figure is hidden inside, and the child who receives the slice with Jesus becomes the king for the day.
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Attend Mass or Adoration
Attending Mass or Adoration is a great way to celebrate the 12 days of Christmas as a Catholic. The Christmas season is full of incredible feast days, and Mass is a holy day of obligation in the Catholic Church. If you have some days off from work, you could attend daily Mass or Adoration and experience the Christmas season in a special way, partaking in the beauty of the liturgy. Monks, priests, and nuns have the privilege of being able to attend daily Mass, but laypeople can also attend on holy days of obligation.
The 12 days of Christmas are the days between Christmas Day and Epiphany, which falls on January 6. In the United States, Epiphany is celebrated on the Sunday between January 2 and January 8. The Christmas season begins with Christmas Eve Vigil Masses, celebrating the Nativity of the Lord, and ends on the Sunday of Epiphany, which is the Baptism of the Lord. The Octave of Christmas includes the eight days between Christmas Day and New Year's Day, which is also the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. During the Octave of Christmas, the same office is prayed each day as on Christmas Day, so each day is celebrated as though it were Christmas Day itself.
Within the Octave of Christmas, the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas Day) and the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, are holy days of obligation in the Church. In the Roman Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, the Solemnity of Mary is liturgically celebrated on the Octave Day of Christmas. It is also celebrated in some denominations as the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ, as according to Jewish tradition, he would have been circumcised eight days after his birth.
In addition to the Octave of Christmas, there are other feast days that fall within the 12 days of Christmas. These include the Feast of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist on December 27; the Feast of the Holy Innocents on December 28; the Memorial of St. Thomas Becket, Bishop and Martyr on December 29; and the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph on the Sunday within the Octave of Christmas or, if there is no Sunday, on December 30. Outside the Octave, but within the 12 days of Christmas, there are the feasts of Sts. Basil the Great and Gregory of Nazianzus on January 2 and the Memorial of the Holy Name of Jesus on January 3.
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Celebrate the Feast Days
The Twelve Days of Christmas is a sacred and festive season, proclaimed by the Council of Tours in 567. It begins on Christmas Day, which is counted as the first day of Christmastide, and ends on the eve of the Epiphany on January 5th. The Epiphany celebrates the revelation of Jesus' divinity to the world, commemorating the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus.
The Twelve Days of Christmas are a time of celebration and joy in the Catholic faith, with many feast days to observe. Here are some ways to celebrate the feast days during this festive season:
Feast of St. Stephen, Deacon and First Martyr
December 26th is the feast day of St. Stephen, the first martyr of the Church. On this day, Catholics honour the courage and steadfastness of St. Stephen as he proclaimed his faith in the face of death.
Feast of St. John the Evangelist
December 27th is the feast day of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist. It is a day to remember the life and teachings of St. John and his significant contributions to Christianity. St. John was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and is believed to have written the Gospel of John.
Feast of the Holy Innocents
December 28th is the Feast of the Holy Innocents, commemorating the children slaughtered by Herod in his attempt to kill the infant Jesus. This day serves as a reminder to protect children and stand up for the vulnerable.
Feast of St. Thomas Becket, Archbishop and Martyr
December 29th is dedicated to St. Thomas Becket, an archbishop and martyr.
Feast of St. Sylvester I, Pope
Ring in the new year by celebrating the life and contributions of St. Sylvester I on December 31st.
Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
January 1st is a day of prayer and reflection to commemorate the motherhood of Mary and her significant role in the Catholic Church. It is also an opportunity to pray the rosary as a family, a tradition that was once common among Catholic households, especially German Catholics.
Feast of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen
On January 2nd, the Church celebrates the feast of two great fourth-century Eastern saints who contributed significantly to the understanding of the Trinity.
Feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and St. John Neumann
January 4th and 5th are dedicated to St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and St. John Neumann, respectively.
Epiphany
The Epiphany, celebrated on January 6th, marks the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas. It is a day of celebration and joy, remembering the importance of the Incarnation and the hope it brings to all people. Families often make a king's cake with a hollow baby Jesus inside. The child who finds the baby Jesus in their slice gets to be king for the day and everyone must follow their commands!
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Celebrate Epiphany
The Epiphany, celebrated on January 6, marks the end of the 12 days of Christmas. It is a feast day that celebrates the manifestation of Christ's birth to the entire world, represented by the three kings or magi and the star. It is traditionally believed to be the preferred day for gift-giving, and Christians originally celebrated Epiphany as all the manifestations of the divinity of Jesus before the start of his public ministry.
- Blessing your home: It is traditional to bless your home and household on Epiphany. This is because of the biblical reference to the three kings entering the home where the Holy Family was staying to worship the Christ child. A family member may go through the various rooms of the home sprinkling holy water obtained from the Church.
- Making a King's Cake: A popular tradition in many cultures is to make a King's Cake or Galette des Rois, a French cake with a sweet almond filling. A small figurine of a baby, representing baby Jesus, is hidden inside the cake. The person who gets the slice with the baby figurine gets to be king for the day.
- Chalking your door: Chalking your door is another common tradition for Catholic families. You can use my directions for completing your own Epiphany door blessing.
- Keeping your Christmas tree up: Many people take their Christmas trees down the day after Christmas. However, you can keep your tree up until Epiphany, as the Christmas season lasts until The Baptism of the Lord.
- Saving Christmas gift-giving until Epiphany: You can save your Christmas gift-giving until Epiphany and then give each person just three gifts. This tradition is based on the three gifts given to baby Jesus by the three kings.
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Leave Christmas decorations up
The 12 days of Christmas are a time of celebration and joy for Catholics around the world. The tradition is rooted in the Christian belief of the Incarnation, which celebrates Jesus becoming human after being born to the Virgin Mary.
The 12 days begin on Christmas Day, which is considered the first day of Christmastide in Catholicism, and continue until the eve of the Epiphany on January 5th. The Epiphany, celebrated on January 6th, commemorates the visit of the Magi to baby Jesus and the revelation of his divinity.
The Christmas season is a time to deepen one's Catholic identity and celebrate the birth of Jesus. One way to do this is by leaving Christmas decorations up until the end of the Christmas season, which is marked by the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, usually celebrated on the second Sunday in January.
- The Christmas tree and decorations are symbols of the Christmas season, and by leaving them up, you visually acknowledge and celebrate the 12 days of Christmas.
- Leaving the decorations up can serve as a reminder to participate in the various feast days and special liturgies held during this period. For example, December 26th is the Feast of St. Stephen, the first martyr of the Church, and December 27th is the Feast of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist.
- The decorations can create a festive atmosphere that encourages you to engage in Catholic traditions during the 12 days. For instance, you could make a king's cake for Epiphany, a fun family tradition where a hollow baby Jesus figurine is hidden inside the cake, and the child who finds it gets to be king for the day.
- By keeping your decorations up, you resist the secular trend of ending Christmas celebrations on December 26th. The 12 days of Christmas are a sacred and festive season proclaimed by the Council of Tours in 567, and by extending your celebrations, you honour this tradition.
- Leaving the Christmas tree up can be a simple yet powerful way to live liturgically. It serves as a daily visual reminder of the Incarnation and the birth of Jesus, which are at the heart of the Christmas season.
So, if you're looking for a way to celebrate the 12 days of Christmas more fully, consider leaving your Christmas decorations up until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. This simple act can enrich your Catholic faith and provide a meaningful way to honour this special season.
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