Tell the truth. Do you think Christmas is over? Because, dear one, it's not.
Christmas is not a day. It's a season of twelve days (yes! just like the song!) followed by the Feast of the Epiphany on January (it took those "three kings" a while to get to Bethlehem). On the lovely website, Full Homely Divinity, you can find much about Christmas and Epiphany there to inform, remind, and inspire you.
So we're not done yet, not done with singing "Christ is born!", not done with angels and alleluias, not done with the scandalous particularity of the Word taking flesh - such frail flesh! - and not anywhere near done with what Advent promised and Christmas has brought.
Blessed Christmas to you all...still!
And may the blessings and peace of our Lord and Savior be with you throughout this new year to light and guide your path. May He reign in your heart, hear your voice, and rejoice in your song.
Posted by: Charles E. Martin | January 04, 2009 at 10:40 PM
I find that it's relatively easy to celebrate the Octave of Christmas (through Jan. 1) since New Year's Day (the Eighth Day of Christmas) is also a holiday on the civil calendar. But even then, whenever I wish someone a Merry Christmas after the 25th of December (and I do so as often as I can), I get some funny looks.
What's really hard, however, is to continue to celebrate Christmas AFTER January 1. That's when we're really swimming against the current of the culture. It makes me wonder how our Orthodox friends manage to celebrate Christmas on January 7!
But if you come down to Louisiana and worship with us next Sunday, we'll be sure to have some delicious King Cakes afterward to help us celebrate the final days of Christmas, and Epiphany of course! And if you let me know you're coming, I'll be sure to have some Community Coffee with chicory brewing so we can have some café au lait with that King Cake.
Posted by: RevJATB | January 04, 2009 at 10:42 PM
Just a thought on New Years Eve, it's 55 minutes past midnight, in years past on the stroke of midnight all that could be heard were voices, people shouting, singing, dancing in the streets banging their waste bins, their saucepans, anything thing that was to hand. Today this has all been replaced , no one is seen, they are all hiding in their back yards lighting fireworks, so sad.
Enjoy your Christmas (still), and once again best wishes for the new year Laurel.
Posted by: PeteFergie | January 04, 2009 at 10:42 PM