The Season of Christmas

The Season of Christmas: More Than a Day, a Mystery That Unfolds

Christmas lasts longer than you probably think. It starts on Christmas Eve and runs until the Baptism of Jesus, a couple of weeks later.

While the world rushes back to normal on December 26th, or 27th, the Church invites us to stay in the moment and enjoy the peace and joy a little longer.

What This Season Is Really About

Christmas celebrates more than the baby in the manger. It includes moments that show who Jesus really is, like:

• His birth

• The Holy Family

• Mary as the Mother of God

• The Wise Men recognizing Him

• His baptism, when God calls Him “My beloved Son”

These events help us see the bigger picture: God stepped into our world in a real, human way.

The Feeling of the Season

If Advent is about waiting, Christmas is about arrival. It’s a time filled with:

• Light

• Joy

• Hope

• Stories of angels, shepherds, and a family doing their best in uncertain times

It reminds us that God doesn’t stay far away — He enters our everyday lives.

Why This Matters Today

In a world that treats Christmas like a one‑day sprint, keeping the full season is a gentle way of saying:

• Joy shouldn’t be rushed

• God’s presence isn’t temporary

• Light keeps growing even when life feels dark

Letting Christmas last helps the message sink in.

Simple Ways to Live the Season

• Keep a candle lit to remember Christ as the Light

• Read the nativity story slowly

• Celebrate the special feast days

• Keep your decorations up a bit longer

• Do small acts of kindness

Christmas isn’t something to “get through.” It’s something to enter.

A Season Worth Savoring

Christmas invites us to pause, breathe, and remember that God is with us. The light that began in Bethlehem still shines — and it’s stronger than the darkness.

Feast Days of the Christmas Season

25 December — The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

The celebration of Christ’s birth. A solemnity and one of the highest feasts of the year.

26 December — St Stephen, the First Martyr

The first of the “Companion Feasts” that follow Christmas Day.

27 December — St John, Apostle and Evangelist

Celebrates the beloved disciple and author of the Gospel of John.

28 December — The Holy Innocents

Remembering the children killed by Herod in Bethlehem – see my blog on this

29 December — St Thomas Becket

(Observed in England) Honours the Archbishop of Canterbury martyred in 1170.

1 January — Mary, the Holy Mother of God

A major solemnity honouring Mary’s role in the mystery of Christ’s birth.

6 January — The Epiphany of the Lord

Celebrates the visit of the Magi and the revelation of Christ to the nations.

Note: In some countries, Epiphany is moved to the nearest Sunday, but the traditional date is 6 January.

The Baptism of the Lord

This feast ends the Christmas Season. It is usually celebrated on the Sunday after the Season of Epiphany starts.