Religious traditions

As a time of religious celebration, Christmas is more than just a single day in December. Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus, but it isn’t the beginning of the story, or even the end. Some would argue that a proper religious observance of Christmas begins much earlier – and ends much later – than Dec. 25.

For example, in some parts of France and Germany, as well as Syria and Lebanon, the Christmas season begins on Dec. 4, which is St. Barbara’s Day. In other countries – such as Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and parts of Germany – use St. Nicholas’ Day on Dec. 6 as the beginning of the season.  Sweden adds to the variety, using St. Lucia’s Day on Dec. 13 to begin Christmas observances.

Using basic western Christianity as a guide, though, four religious periods stand out in importance, along with Christmas Eve and Christmas.

Advent

Most Christian religions believe that Advent represents the true celebration of the Christmas season. Advent is the four-week period of praise and worship that traditionally begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, and ends on Christmas Eve. The best way to understand its importance is by comparing it to Lent, which prepares Christians for Good Friday (the death of Jesus) and Easter (the Resurrection). Advent, on the other hand, prepares Christians for the arrival of Christmas (the birth of Christ), and the expectation of the second coming of Jesus.

That makes Advent a perfect opportunity for celebration, both in church and at home. Many religions see it as a way to incorporate seasonal rituals into the home and reinforce the meaning of the Christmas season as something more spiritual, that goes beyond just presents and decorations.

Popular ways of decorating and celebrating Advent in the home include:

• An “Advent wreath,” usually placed on the dining table but sometimes hung from the ceiling in the home. Made from evergreen branches, an Advent wreath has four candleholders on the edges, with one in the center of the wreath. One of the surrounding candles is lit on each of the four Sundays leading to Christmas Eve as a ceremonial way of marking the time until the birth of Christ. Some families choose to incorporate Scriptural readings as part of the lighting. The final candle is in the center of the decoration. Generally known as the “Christ Candle,” it is traditionally lit on Christmas Day.
• An “Advent calendar,” which is a large rectangular card or board with a number of windows. On each of the days before Christmas,  a new window is opened to reveal an image, a poem, a portion of the nativity story, and sometimes a small gift, such as a toy or a piece of chocolate.
• A Nativity scene that serves as a replica of Jesus’ birthplace in Bethlehem. Each night, children place different figures inside the manger, including Mary, Joseph and the Baby Jesus, as well as barnyard animals, shepherds and angels.

St. Nicholas Day

Nicholas of Myra, a bishop during the Fourth Century in what is now modern-day Turkey, was known for his kindness, generosity and love of children. He is said to have died on Dec. 6, in the year 343. After being recognized as a saint in the Ninth Century, celebrations and feasts were held each year on the anniversary of his death, a practice that has continued for centuries as “St. Nicholas Day.”

Nicholas is typically the primary saint of Advent, and in some cultures, St. Nicholas Day still marks the beginning of the Christmas season. In many others, it still is considered an important day of religious celebration and gift-giving.

Epiphany

While it’s natural to view Christmas as the end of the celebration of the birth of Jesus, many religions extend the season to include Epiphany, particularly in celebrations outside the United States. But complications arise through major differences in the meaning of the Epiphany by religions around the world.

So-called “Western” Christian churches tend to celebrate Epiphany as a feast commemorating the visit of the Magi (the “wise men”) to the Christ child, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, and also as a celebration of the baptism of Jesus. “Eastern” Orthodox Christian churches also emphasize the baptismal aspect of the Epiphany, but celebrate the event as the revelation of Jesus to mankind as the Messiah.

In either interpretation, the Epiphany represents a major milestone in the story of Christ, and in the Christmas season.

The 12 Days of Christmas

Epiphany naturally dovetails with the period called the 12 Days of Christmas. As with any number of Christmas tales and traditions, there is quite a bit of disagreement on the origins of the 12 Days of Christmas, but one thing is certain: the meaning runs far deeper than a clever Christmas carol.

The period is also known as “Christmastide,” and many religions consider it to be the true Christmas season, choosing to celebrate the birth of Christ as the beginning, rather than the conclusion. Christmastide is a series of daily celebrations and remembrances which begin with “Holy Night,” or Christmas Eve. The Nativity of the Lord is celebrated on Christmas Day with the Feast of the Nativity.

Technically, though, the 12 days of Christmas begin on Dec. 26, after the celebrations of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and conclude with the Epiphany on Jan. 6. The first day of Christmastide is the “Feast of St. Stephen,” which is also commonly known as “Boxing Day.” In countries like Canada, England, Australia and New Zealand, it’s another opportunity to give and receive gifts.

Other celebrations include the Feast of St. John the Evangelist (Dec. 27), the Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord (Jan. 1), the Day of the Holy Innocents (Jan. 4). The last event is the Vigil of the Feast of the Epiphany. Held on Jan. 5, the night before Epiphany, it’s also known as “Twelfth Night.”

Christmastide concludes on the 12th day, with the Feast of the Epiphany.