We hope you had a very Merry Christmas day and that it was a blessing for you and your family.

Now, it is time to clean up the house, bring back any gifts that you are going to exchange and wrap up the remaining days of 2014.  For some people they are already “undecorating”,, putting away the decorations, taking down the tree and gearing up for New Year’s Eve. Others may wait until just after the new year to switch gears into the new season.  People are ready or are getting ready to “move on” from Christmas.  Even the radio stations that have been playing Christmas music twenty four seven since Thanksgiving have gone back to their  standard format.  Once Christmas day is over, they think, Christmas is over.

But not so fast!

According to the Church calendar we are just entering the season of Christmas.  We have completed the four weeks of Advent and Christmas Day is both an ending (to the waiting we do during Advent) and a commencement (the beginning of the Christmas Celebration).  For the next 12 days (depending on which tradition you follow ) the season of Christmas begins on December 25th or the next day, December 26, and ends either January 5th or January 6h on the Feast Of The Epiphany. The Feast Of The Epiphany highlights the presentation of Jesus into His public ministry as indicated by the coming of the Magi.  .Some Orthodox sects also commemorate  Jesus’ baptism by John.  Hence, the “12 Days Of Christmas” has just begun and won’t end untilJanuary 6th.  The 12 Days of Christmas are just beginning.

For most of us the shopping is over, the cards have been sent out and the food is eaten.  What a relief.  Now, for the next 12 days we can be fully attentive to Christ without the distractions of shopping or the hustle and bustle of the days leading up to December 25th.  So, I can say it again for the next two weeks as we celebrate the birth of Jesus…Merry Christmas!