New Year's Eve Within the Octave of Christmas
New Year's Eve - The Seventh Day of Christmas
First thing to remember: New Year's Eve falls within the Octave of Christmas. Important. Why? Because "New Year's Eve" can easily take on a completely secular life of its own. So, as Catholics, we place it where it really belongs: within the Octave of Christmas.
Of course, this year, New Year's Eve - even if only considered a secular celebration - may not be the same as it's been in the past. The ongoing C-Virus Mess has taken care of that - for some of us. (If you're among those ignoring the "advice" that's been given to avoid family and friends, even during the one time of year that some of us get to see some of them, don't worry. We won't report you.)
Whatever you're doing this New Year's Eve, the clock will tick towards midnight soon. Last day of 2020. But also the Seventh Day of Christmas. Another reminder to us Catholics: 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.
But if you're solidly within the Catholic camp, keeping the Christmas Octave holy, celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas, you can still get into the swing of New Year's. Even if we've not seen family and friends to the same extent as we usually do, you can still have some special food and drink. And if not be with, then you might call, or FaceTime, or Zoom some family and friends.
Even with the food, drink and celebration (even if somewhat muted), 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 - even with our C-Virus Mess - don't let the world drag you back to the "everyday" life as if nothing special is going on. Heck, we Catholics have an edge here, so there's no excuse. If we observe these Twelve Days in some special way, we may even succeed in
keeping the "Christmas Spirit" alive for a thirteenth, a fourteenth, a
fifteenth day...or more. And for true Christmas lovers, 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.
Whatever you're doing this New Year's Eve - the Seventh Day of Christmas, Thursday within the Octave of Christmas - make it special, make it holy.
Well, this is all meant to simply say, in yet another way,
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