Advent and the Twelve Days of Christmas

The way we celebrate Christmas today, as well as for the last couple of centuries, is the reverse of how it was celebrated for over 1400 years prior. The older festivities were probably more appropriate and authentic than what we do today. December 25^th was chosen sometime in the 4^th century as the Julian calendar date on which Jesus’ birth would be celebrated. For the next fourteen centuries, this date became the date around which certain events and activities were conducted. Four weeks leading up to December 25^th comprised the period of Advent. The twelve days following December 25^th, were simply referred to as the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Advent, beginning in late November, was a time of meditating on the incarnation of Christ. It was a time of identifying with those long ago who longed for the Messiah to come. Christians met together often, sang, and prayed in a spirit of expectation. In church, sermons would be about what life was like before Christ was born. Then, on Christmas Day, there was great celebration honoring the birth of baby Jesus. Interestingly, this celebration continued for twelve days, ending on January 6^th. There was too much to celebrate in just one day! The three feasts over these twelve days paid tribute to Steven the martyr, by giving to the poor, to John the disciple, and to the innocents commemorating the children of Bethlehem murdered by King Herod. Finally, the twelve days came to a climactic end with the festival of Epiphany which commemorates the beginning of the proclamation of the gospel. The Epiphany is the culmination of the celebration of Christmas. So, Christmas day was the threshold crossed from anticipation to celebration rather than a single day of celebration.

Contrast this approach to Christmas with our modern day observance. Yes, we begin Christmas celebration in November, but it’s only because we need to get our shopping underway. Then Christmas is a big, big day of giving and receiving with family and friends. Instead of December 26^th being the second day of a twelve day celebration extravaganza, it is a downer day when we begin to recover from Christmas. We start taking down decorations, getting ready for the bowl games, and lying awake at night worrying about the credit card balances. You know, I think they may have had it right over those 1400 years before the more recent generations kinda messed up Christmas. No, I’m not bah humbug. I’m looking forward to Christmas, but I have to wonder which celebration model pleases Jesus the most.