Merry Christmas! Yes, We're Still Celebrating!

"The best way to shorten Winter is to prolong Christmas."

                                                                    ~ G.K. Chesterton 

Merry Christmas to you and your family! Today is the feast of the Epiphany. Tonight after evening Mass, we will move our three wiseman to their place at the nativity scene and we will bless our home, continuing to celebrate in Christmas joy!

One of the hardest things about being Catholic in the 21st century is that everyone starts celebrating Christmas super early, before Thanksgiving. This year seemed even earlier-- almost the day after Halloween. It's so hard not to join in on the singing and decorating and feasting when all the stores, towns, and houses are decorated. It also makes you wonder why all these people are celebrating so early. What exactly are they celebrating? Christ's birth isn't for another two months! 

This year I really tried to silence all the premature holiday cheer to focus on Advent and it was so worth it! Of course there are things we can only do before Christmas, so it wasn't perfect. For instance we went to a German Christmas market that was only open leading up to Christmas Day. Although, I also have to remember that Advent is not exactly like Lent. Preparation and joyful anticipation play a big role in the season. Preparing for a birth is much different than preparing for a death after all.  

At the same time, without the sacrificial aspect of Advent, I think it's easier to forget what we're actually celebrating on Christmas Day. And that goes back to my first thought about the problem with feasting so early. The day after Christmas suddenly seems depressing and everyone goes back to business as usual. (if Christmas Day is all you have anyway)

There is a Catholic influencer who typically I agree with, but on this point I do not. His family celebrates Christmas when the world starts celebrating. I'm sure they celebrate Advent too, I just know that he prided himself on not being someone who won't celebrate until Christmas Day. What's funny is that the other day he proved my point by saying how he hates this time of year because Christmas is over and everyone is going back to school. It wasn't even Epiphany yet!

I've also seen many things online from people reminding the world to celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas, to others joking about how nobody knows what to do with themselves in the awkward time between December 26 and the weekend after New Years. 

And that is why I'm grateful for the liturgical seasons! It is why we are still celebrating Christ's birth, leaving the decorations up until Candlemas Day (hopefully) because without the prolonged Christmas celebrations, I believe that Chesterton is correct. It makes the Winter seem so much colder and so much longer. Meanwhile making the Autumn so much shorter, it takes away from the cozy mood of November. So yes, have a long and happy Christmas, but wait until the Christmas season really begins!

I think that will conclude my It's-still-Christmas rant. I realize I've been absent since before Advent so I will tell you that we had a lovely Christmas Eve and Christmas Day! The next week was spent with family and it has been wonderful! Some friends from church invited a bunch of families over for a Christmas party after Christmas which I really appreciate. It makes me really want to join them in the trend. Maybe next year we'll have a party weeks after Christmas to extend the festivities and throw off people who stop celebrating on Epiphany! 

Wishing you a blessed Christmas season and I hope that you will continue the celebration as long as you can! Happy Epiphany and don't forget to bless your house today!!

Gina💕