How to Make Advent More Like Advent and Less Like Christmas Idea #9

Idea #9: Celebrate Christmas

Christmas is not just one day.  Christmas is a Season.  Officially it begins on the night of Christmas Eve and continues on through Epiphany and up until The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Many of our friends will even extend their celebration of Christmas to the full Christmastide which ends on February 2nd, The Feast of the Presentation or Candlemas. Special K was lamenting on Christmas night that Christmas was over.  When I explained to her once again that Christmas was a full 18 days this year, her eyes lit up.  We've had a party here and gone to a party at a family friends' home.  We plan on continuing to make Christmas cookies, sing Christmas carols, watch Christmas movies, and to have friends over to continue our celebration.  On the Feast of the Epiphany, the Wise Kings will have traveled around our home and will come to rest at the Nativity.  We worked very hard to avoid the secularization and commercialization of Christmas during our Advent observances, now we'll continue a full celebration of the Christmas Octave and Christmastide, giving thanks for the wonder and beauty of Christ's humble birth.  Merry Christmas!