New Year's Eve - The Seventh Day of Christmas
The clock ticks towards midnight. I'm off from work today - well, off as much as a small businessman is ever off. Our plans include our usual "spread" accompanied by champagne to ring in the New Year at midnight.
Besides being New Year's Eve, I'm reminded that it's also the Seventh Day of Christmas. Those Twelve Days of Christmas of which we hear in the famous song, remind us that Christmas did not end on the 25th as most of the world appears to believe. (A few years ago, one of our neighbors actually took down their Christmas decorations on the 26th!) Of course, we Catholics know better, and if we observed Advent in a spirit of penance - as it is intended to be observed - we've been celebrating these first seven days of Christmas and shall do so for at least the next five...right?
Well, it's not easy these days to observe Christmas for the full twelve days, especially if you return to work right after New Year's Day tomorrow. Most of us are lucky if we can spend time feasting with family and friends during the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. But do give it a try. Maybe you can have some special food and drink, or call some family and friends you may not have had a chance to speak with between the 25th of December and the 1st of January. Even better, maybe you can spend some extra time in prayer before the creche (which I hope you have no intention of taking down for at least the Twelve Days of Christmas...right?
Whatever you do, however you do it, celebrate these Twelve Days in some way. Don't let the world drag you back to the "everyday" life from which most or us took a step back starting on Christmas Eve. And who knows? If you observe these Twelve Days in some special way, you may succeed in keeping the "Christmas Spirit" alive for a thirteenth, a fourteenth, a fifteenth day...or more. Okay, so you're not going to eat and drink in festive mode each day. But aren't the graces we receive during the Christmas Season intended to spur us on to a holier life all year round? I don't think we need to be theologians to answer this one.
So take a moment today to observe not only New Year's Eve, but also the Seventh Day of Christmas remembering too that the Christmas Season extends not only for Twelve Days, but at least until the feast of the Birth of the Lord. I say "at least," because, if you're really a Christmas lover, you may know the tradition that observes the Christmas Season - at least in some way - until the feast of the Presentation in the Temple on February 2nd. In that light, Twelve Days are a drop in the bucket.
Well, this is all meant to simply say, in yet another way,
And if you have moment, take a listen to one of my favorite versions of the song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas."
Besides being New Year's Eve, I'm reminded that it's also the Seventh Day of Christmas. Those Twelve Days of Christmas of which we hear in the famous song, remind us that Christmas did not end on the 25th as most of the world appears to believe. (A few years ago, one of our neighbors actually took down their Christmas decorations on the 26th!) Of course, we Catholics know better, and if we observed Advent in a spirit of penance - as it is intended to be observed - we've been celebrating these first seven days of Christmas and shall do so for at least the next five...right?
Well, it's not easy these days to observe Christmas for the full twelve days, especially if you return to work right after New Year's Day tomorrow. Most of us are lucky if we can spend time feasting with family and friends during the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. But do give it a try. Maybe you can have some special food and drink, or call some family and friends you may not have had a chance to speak with between the 25th of December and the 1st of January. Even better, maybe you can spend some extra time in prayer before the creche (which I hope you have no intention of taking down for at least the Twelve Days of Christmas...right?
Whatever you do, however you do it, celebrate these Twelve Days in some way. Don't let the world drag you back to the "everyday" life from which most or us took a step back starting on Christmas Eve. And who knows? If you observe these Twelve Days in some special way, you may succeed in keeping the "Christmas Spirit" alive for a thirteenth, a fourteenth, a fifteenth day...or more. Okay, so you're not going to eat and drink in festive mode each day. But aren't the graces we receive during the Christmas Season intended to spur us on to a holier life all year round? I don't think we need to be theologians to answer this one.
So take a moment today to observe not only New Year's Eve, but also the Seventh Day of Christmas remembering too that the Christmas Season extends not only for Twelve Days, but at least until the feast of the Birth of the Lord. I say "at least," because, if you're really a Christmas lover, you may know the tradition that observes the Christmas Season - at least in some way - until the feast of the Presentation in the Temple on February 2nd. In that light, Twelve Days are a drop in the bucket.
Well, this is all meant to simply say, in yet another way,
Merry Christmas!
And if you have moment, take a listen to one of my favorite versions of the song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas."
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