Each year, as soon as we get into the “ber” months, there begins the usual tug-of-war over when to begin Christmas.
Retail establishments, anxious to make it or break it for another year, typically begin decorations and promotions as soon as the “ber” months begin or at least immediately after Halloween – since Halloween is a retail event in itself.
Other than food, Thanksgiving is not a big shopping season so stores usually go full-on Christmas after Halloween.
Certain critics look askance at any promotion of Christmas before Thanksgiving believing that the Christmas season doesn’t “start” until December or at least until after Thanksgiving.
The debate over when Christmas should start is the fallout of a religious season that has been divorced from the religion which begat it.
Christmas, literally “Christ’s Mass,” is the Catholic Mass celebration of the central event in all of history, which is why “Christ’s Mass” splits history into B.C. (before Christ) and A.D. (anno Domini, in the year of Our Lord).
Today, the so-called Christmas season begins whenever retailers and regular folk want it to and ends on Christmas Day.
However, both liturgically and historically, Christmas does not end on, but begins on, Christmas Day and runs for eight days (the Octave of Christmas) and, beyond that, 12 days – thus the traditional 12 days of Christmas.
Prior to Christmas, there was (and still is in the Catholic Church) the penitential season of Advent, during which season Christians are required to pray, fast, and abstain – quite a bit different than the party-laden, alcohol-infused December we now treat ourselves to.
As a kid, I could tell who the non-Catholics were in the neighborhood because their still tinseled Christmas trees were cast to the curb for trash pickup on Dec. 26.
As Catholics, our tree – and everything Christmas – remained in place until Jan. 6, the Feast of the Epiphany, the 12th day.
I felt lucky to be a Catholic kid as I got an extra 12 days of Christmas that others didn’t but also because we Catholic kids didn’t have to go back to school, at least back then, until after Jan. 6!
I should further note that liturgically speaking, the contemporary Catholic season of Christmas goes beyond the Epiphany and extends to the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. (The modern date varies but usually goes into February.)
And, in times past, pursuant to what may be called “the traditional calendar,” Christmas extended all the way through what was called “Christmastide,” a period which extended from Christmas to “Shrovetide,” which was a short preparation for Lent.
How cool was that! Christmas until almost Easter!
But let me jump to another Christmas controversy: happy holidays or merry Christmas?
I say both.
First, as just demonstrated, “merry Christmas,” historically and liturgically, belongs to the 12 days of Christmas, beginning on Christmas Day.
Also, “happy holidays” does not imply a “tense.” It could be now – as the “holidays” approach – or later, the historical Christmas season.
And since “holidays” is derived from “holy days,” why not wish everyone “happy holy days”?
One last word on the common condemnation of “materialism” you may hear from many pulpits during this season (whenever you choose to start it).
When I was a kid, my mom used to do her Christmas shopping the summer before or whenever there were sales.
She would stack those Christmas gifts in her closet until she wrapped them close to Christmas. (I wasn’t supposed to know. LOL.)
And why not?
Advent and Christmas are sacred seasons. So why not get gift purchasing out of the way before we enter the sacred seasons of Advent and “Christ’s Mass.”
I recall a “Christmas season” sermon condemning materialism in the example of a man who purchased a yacht.
The preacher, predictably, condemned the man for not giving the same money to the poor.
I remember being angry because the “rich man’s” purchase of that yacht probably meant that all those people who built that yacht could then house, clothe and feed their families for many cold days and nights to come.
Meanwhile, the preacher, because of the gifts from people who most likely bought yachts (and other high-end properties), did not have to worry about the “cold days and nights to come.”
By the way, Christmas is the only time we focus on spending money on others. What could be wrong with that?
Merry Christmas.
Tim Rohr has resided in Guam since 1987. He has raised a family of 11 children, owned several businesses, and most recently been active in local issues via his blog, JungleWatch.info, letters to local publications and occasional public appearances.
