Sarah Mitchell
There is no clear consensus on when the Christmas season ends for Catholics. While some sources state that the liturgical season of Christmas ends with the celebration of the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, others argue that the Christmas season extends for forty days until Candlemas, the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple and the Purification of Mary, which falls on February 2. This discrepancy leads to polite disagreements among Catholics each year, with some opting to follow cultural customs and personal traditions when deciding when to conclude the Christmas festivities and take down their decorations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Christmas season start date | 24 December at sunset or Vespers (the beginning of Christmas Day) |
| Christmas season end date | Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, or Candlemas on 2 February |
| Christmas Day | 25 December |
| Number of days in the Christmas season | 12 days, or 40 days until Candlemas |
| Christmas season colour | White, gold or silver |
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What You'll Learn
The Christmas season ends on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord
The Catholic Christmas season starts on Christmas Eve with the Nativity of the Lord and concludes on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The date of the feast day varies, falling on the Sunday after Epiphany, or the following Monday if Epiphany falls on 7 or 8 January. The feast day celebrates the revelation of Jesus as the Son of God, marking a turning point in his life as he begins his public ministry.
The Christmas season ends and Ordinary Time begins with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The feast day is also referred to as Christmastide and is considered a major event in the liturgical calendar. The Vatican takes down its Christmas decorations after the feast day, except for the nativity scene.
The Baptism of the Lord is a significant event in the life of Jesus. It is recounted by the Evangelist Luke, who describes how Jesus, by being baptised among the people, showed solidarity with humanity and manifested his mission to bear the sins of humanity. After his baptism, Jesus received the gift of the Spirit and was recognised by God as his "beloved son".
The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord is connected to other events in the life of Jesus, such as the Epiphany and the wedding at Cana, as they all reveal Jesus as the Son of God. The Epiphany is the celebration of the manifestation of Jesus to the Magi and, by extension, to all non-Jewish cultures. The wedding at Cana is the setting for Jesus' first public miracle, where he turned water into wine, revealing his divine power.
While there is some debate among Catholics about when the Christmas season officially ends, with some waiting until after the Epiphany or Candlemas to take down decorations, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord is recognised by the Church as the conclusion of the Christmas season.
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The 12 days of Christmas
The liturgical season of Christmas in the Catholic Church begins on Christmas Eve with the vigil Masses, celebrating the Nativity of the Lord, and ends on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The Christmas tree and the Nativity scene are popular symbols during this season, and it is also traditional to exchange gifts with loved ones, reflecting on the gift of Christ.
The first day of Christmas is the Nativity 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. The twelfth day of Christmas, the day before Epiphany, is celebrated as St. John Neumann's feast day.
The popular Christmas carol, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," has been the subject of various theories regarding its origins and meaning. One theory suggests that it was a "catechism song" created by persecuted English Catholics during the period of religious persecution from 1558 to 1829 to teach their children the faith secretly. However, this theory has been disputed due to a lack of supporting primary sources and the absence of significant differences between Catholic and Anglican beliefs at the time.
The song's lyrics have been interpreted symbolically, with the partridge in a pear tree representing Jesus, the two turtle doves representing the Old and New Testaments, the three French hens symbolising faith, hope, and charity, and so on. These interpretations vary, and some argue that the song's true meaning remains unknown.
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The Epiphany
The feast of the Epiphany emerged in the East on January 6, while the feast of Christmas became established in the West on December 25 during the third century. Although the feasts arose from different religious and cultural contexts, their underlying meaning is the same: the celebration of the birth of Christ as the dawning of a new light in history.
The end of the Christmas season in the Catholic Church is a subject of discussion among Catholics. Some consider the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord as the conclusion, while others follow the traditional date of February 2, 40 days after Christmas, which is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord or Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Candlemas). The Vatican typically takes down Christmas decorations after the Baptism of the Lord but keeps the nativity scene until Candlemas.
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Candlemas
The festival was formerly known in the Roman Catholic Church as the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary and is now known as the Presentation of the Lord. In the Anglican church, it is called the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, and in the Greek church, it is called Hypapante, meaning "meeting", in reference to Jesus' meeting in the Temple with Simeon and the prophet Anna.
The tradition of blessing candles during Candlemas dates back to at least the 7th century, and the term "Candlemas" itself is derived from this custom. On this day, Christians, especially Catholics, take their candles to their local church to be blessed and then used for the rest of the year. These blessed candles symbolise Jesus Christ, referred to as the Light of the World.
In Belgium, it is customary to eat pancakes on Candlemas, and all the candles in the house are lit. There are also various weather proverbs and sayings associated with the day, such as "If Candlemas be fair and bright,/Come, Winter, have another flight./If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,/Go, Winter, and come not again." According to tradition, the Christmas manger scenes should not be put away until Candlemas, which is considered the last feast of the Christmas cycle.
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Christmas decorations
In the Western Christian world, the two traditional days for taking down Christmas decorations are Twelfth Night and Candlemas. Candlemas is a feast day that falls on February 2nd, 40 days after Christmas. It is also known as the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord or the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Many people begin putting up their Christmas decorations on the first day of Advent, which begins about four weeks before Christmas. Popular decorations include Christmas trees, wreaths, garlands, angels, bells, candy canes, doves, holly, nativity scenes, poinsettias, stars, and lights.
In the 16th century, Martin Luther, the father of Lutheran Christianity, is said to have adorned a Christmas tree with candles. German Lutherans brought the tradition of the decorated Christmas tree to the United States. In the 1840s, it became popular to place a decoration symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem at the top of the tree.
Today, Christmas decorations come in a wide variety of styles and themes, with new trends emerging each year. Some popular decorations include outdoor inflatables, gnomes, and shatterproof and glass ball ornaments.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catholic Christmas season begins on Christmas Eve with the Nativity Vigil Masses.
The Catholic Christmas season ends on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. However, there is some disagreement among Catholics as to when the Christmas season officially ends. Some wait until after the Epiphany to take down their decorations, while others wait until the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord or Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Candlemas) on February 2nd.
The 12 Days of Christmas are the 12 days between Christmas Day and Epiphany. Tradition holds that it took the Three Kings or Magi twelve days to journey to baby Jesus.
The Octave of Christmas includes the eight days between Christmas Day and January 1st, which is the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, and New Year's Day.
Epiphany is the celebration of the revelation of Jesus as the Son of God to the Three Kings or Magi. It is also when the Magi gave Jesus the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
