When Christmas ends depends on the Rite (Latin or Eastern), the liturgical calendar (Ordinary or Extraordinary), and whether you’re looking for the end of the Christmas ‘feast’ or the end of the Christmas ‘season’.
- The Christmas feast proper ends on the final day of its octave, which is the feast of Mary, the Mother of God, on January 1st. Keep your feasting, parties, and merriment going for the full 8 days.
- The ‘peak’ of the Christmas ‘season’ is January 6th—Epiphany—the end of the 12 Days of Christmas. Jesus is now revealed as a light to the Gentile nations. Keep your Christmas decorations, especially your Christmas tree and lights, up at least until this day is over.
- The official end of the entire Christmas season on the new liturgical calendar is the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord, after which Ordinary Time begins. Keep your nativity scene displayed up through this day, or better yet, until the Presentation of the Lord on February 2nd (which is a feast of the Baby Jesus).
These are just suggestions, of course, to help you get the most out of celebrating the Christmas season to the full. The varying Christmas traditions reflect the universal nature of the Church (all tribes and tongues!) which has been going strong for 2,000 years. Everyone is on the same page generally speaking in keeping the Christmas feast, even though there have naturally arisen differences over the millennia in exactly how this is done from place to place.
The most important thing to remember and practice is that Christmas BEGINS on December 25th, and is to be merrily celebrated for many days afterward, either 8, 12, or 40!
