Many of us went back to work today. Many of our nation's children returned to school today, others go back tomorrow. The offices and classrooms we left two weeks ago were beautifully decorated, many of them today returned to less festive appearances. Heck, many of us have ripped down our own trees and decorations. Yet even today, and for the next week and a half, it's still Christmas season!
Many people do know about the 12th night and either recognize or remember January 6th as the Epiphany, Kings Day or Little Christmas. Traditionalists may recall how it was simply unseemly to take down those decorations before the 6th. In the Church today the Epiphany is celebrated on a Sunday so it does not always fall on the 6th; this year it does. And even though this is what many of us remember as the end of Christmas, the Church says it just ain't so. Now, we do not end Chirstmas season until the Sunday when we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. That date falls this year on the 13th.
So really we are not off base if we keep celebrating Christmas all the way to next weekend! What a wonderful way to keep the hope and joy of the most anticipated day of the year alive well into the dark cold days of early January. What a blessed reminder of that same joy we can carry with us back to school and work.
Continued Merry Christmas to one and all!
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