IN A WORLD OF “Happy Holidays,” it’s more important than ever to own and reclaim the Christmas season! You probably know that Christmas doesn’t start until December 25. But when does it end? Here’s a quick rundown of some fun Christmastide facts.
WHEN DOES CHRISTMAS START?
This one is not common knowledge to many outside the Catholic Church. The Christmas season does not begin until Dec. 25. Or, more precisely, until First Vespers of Christmas Eve. Before then, while the world is shopping and listening to Mariah Carey, we’re still celebrating the preparatory season of Advent, which started four Sundays before Christmas Day.
THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS
From the Solemnity of the Nativity on Dec. 25, to the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God on Jan. 1, is the extended celebration of the Octave of Christmas.
This week-long celebration is how the Church commemorates her highest holy days. (Easter has its own octave as well.) After not hearing the “Gloria” said at Mass throughout all of Advent, we now hear it every single day for eight days. The Octave of Christmas also includes the Feast of the Holy Family on the Sunday after Christmas. (Or when Christmas is on a Sunday, on Dec. 30 instead.)
Jan. 1, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, is a holy day of obligation, unless it falls on a Saturday or Monday, or if it’s been dispensed by the local bishop, which is what happened this year.
THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
Five… golden… rings! There’s a popular misconception in secular culture that the famous “12 Days of Christmas” refers to the 12 days leading up to Christmas day. But this is incorrect. These 12 days, count them, span the period of time between Christmas Day and the Solemnity of the Epiphany on Jan. 6. This is the extent of the Christmas season in the Anglican and related traditions, hence the popular English carol.
EPIPHANY
I just said that the Solemnity of the Epiphany is on Jan. 6, but that’s not usually true, at least not in the U.S. Since 1970, the Epiphany is celebrated on the Sunday that falls between Jan. 2-8, so no one will have to miss it.
The Epiphany liturgy also includes an optional chant by the deacon announcing the dates of Easter and other movable feasts during the liturgical calendar. This “Noveritis” proclamation dates from a time before you could easily Google search “when is Easter this year.” I love that kind of thing.
BAPTISM OF THE LORD
Spoiler: this is the answer to the question I asked at the top.
The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord comes on the Sunday after Epiphany and is the last day of the liturgical Christmas season. It’s the last day that the priest wears white; tomorrow, he’ll be in green for Monday of the first week of Ordinary Time. (Notice that there’s no first Sunday in Ordinary Time!)
In years when the Epiphany falls on Jan. 7 or 8, (when Christmas lands on a Monday or Sunday) then the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord is observed on Monday Jan. 8 or 9, and instead of being the last day of Christmas, it’s the first day of Ordinary Time.
Then the Christmas season is officially over. Unless…
THE PRESENTATION
You may have heard that Christmas was “traditionally” celebrated all the way until the Feast of the Presentation (also known as “Candlemas”) on Feb. 2. Indeed in the Vatican, at St. Peter’s Square, the manger scene opens on Christmas Eve and stays up for 40 days, being removed right after February 2. So, if you need an excuse to give you extra time to take down your Christmas decorations, then feel free to use it.
CHRISTMAS MATH
Since no one asked, I went ahead and did the math to let you know that the Christmas season is longest (20 days) when the Nativity falls on a Tuesday, and shortest (15 days) when it falls on a Monday. Monday also features the shortest Advent, which is a bummer. I think I’ll be using the Presentation loophole the next time that happens in 2028-29.
For now, for the last time this liturgical year, let me wish you a Merry Christmas!