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Angie Mc
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| Posted: Jan 09 2013 at 7:51pm | IP Logged
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Isn't it strange how quick we are to correct each other? It's laughable about the gift of a Christmas card!
I'm sure your response is just perfect  .
Here's a funny. My daughter's fiancee is learning about the Catholic faith. I told him that one of the MANY perks of being Catholic is that you can keep Christmas up, send Christmas up, and eat Christmas cookies until Christ's Baptism  .
Love,
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Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
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MicheleQ
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| Posted: Jan 14 2013 at 10:50am | IP Logged
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We had a great discussion about this on Facebook back in Dec. My friend Joe Is a bit of an expert on Church history and had some interesting things to say. I'll post it here.
I had asked:
Quote:
I am trying to figure out where the tradition of celebrating Christmas until Feb 2nd came from.
I know it isn't part of the "old" calendar because the Roman missal for 1962 says: "The season of Christmas (tempus natalicium) runs from I vespers of Christmas to 13th January inclusive. This period of time comprises: a) Christmastide (tempus Nativitatis), which runs from I vespers of Christmas to none of 5th January inclusive; b) Epiphany (tempus Epiphaniae) which runs from I vespers of the Epiphany to January 13th inclusive." The "new" calendar is basically the same in that it says: "Christmas Time runs from First Vespers (Evening Prayer I) of the Nativity of the Lord up to and including the Sunday after Epiphany or after January 6."
So where did the tradition of Christmas being until Feb. 2nd (Candlemas) come from? |
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Joe replied:
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. . .there wouldn't be anything "official" per se (to my knowledge), just a store of pious custom. Many arguments can be made in favor of this tradition. For one, February 2 falls forty days after Christmas and thus it becomes a kind of parallel season to Easter in the extenuation of devotion to the Holy Child from His birth to his Presentation in the Temple.
There is also a kind of continuity in the idea of "manifestation" or "epiphany" running first from Christmas through the Epiphany all the way up to the Presentation and the Prophecy of Simeon. The words of that Gospel prayer on the day of the feast in early February are kind of a final consummation of the sentiments of expectation and fulfillment that dominate the Christmas season: as the prophet says, "Now let your servant go in peace" we finally put away that spirit of the Old Testament prophets and now look to the active life of Christ to fulfill his mission, a life sort of inaugurated in this final and most public manifestation of his Presentation.
From a point of view of the lineup of the liturgical year with the seasons, this is also the time when the devotionals associated with Christmas (the greens in the home to ward off winter blight and the lights to chase off the darkness) now become less necessary as spring may begin to come in (depending of course what that capricious rodent has to say). There is a turning of spirit to expectation of a different kind with springtime's hope, not the hope for light in darkness that characterizes Christmas and its joy, but the hope for new life and resurrection.
So, while the official liturgical season does end in early January, our own devotional engagement of Christmas joy and devotion to the Christ Child remains and it seems fitting to keep some of the spirit of the Nativity alive throughout the beginning of ordinary time. Besides, there's something to be said for burning your dried and dead Christmas tree in a nice bonfire on Candlemas.  |
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Overall we seemed to conclude that Christmastide has ended now but the Christmas cycle continues through Feb. 1st (and the Divine Office reflects that as well). We've taken our decorations down already but most of our neighborhood still has lights up which my 6 yr. old insists means it IS indeed still Christmas.
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Michele Quigley
wife to my prince charming and mom of 10 in Lancaster County, PA USA
http://michelequigley.com
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JennGM
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| Posted: Jan 15 2014 at 2:55pm | IP Logged
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Bumping this, as I just addressed this at Catholic Culture.
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Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
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Angie Mc
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| Posted: Jan 15 2014 at 6:22pm | IP Logged
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Wow, Jenn, you outdid yourself! This will be my go-to article on this topic from now on 
Love,
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Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
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Maryan
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| Posted: Jan 15 2014 at 7:02pm | IP Logged
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Great job!
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Maryan
Mom to 6 boys & 1 girl: JP('01), B ('03), M('05), L('06), Ph ('08), M ('10), James born 5/1/12
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JennGM
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| Posted: Jan 16 2014 at 8:24am | IP Logged
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Thanks, ladies, I did some editing this morning because I realized I had some minor rough spots.
My husband came home yesterday and said his spiritual director told him to keep his thoughts toward Christmas since Lent is so late this year. I had to make sure that was clear that "celebration" like the actual season is not the same as the subdued focus during Ordinary Time that points back to Christmas.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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St. Ann
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| Posted: Jan 16 2014 at 8:56am | IP Logged
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Jenn, that was such a huge help! I think we have discussed this subject every year in one way or another. You have done so much good research. Thank you, thank you! 
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Stephanie
Wife and mother to Hannah '96, Maria '99, Dorothea '01, Helena '03
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Jenn Sal
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| Posted: Jan 16 2014 at 8:58am | IP Logged
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Whew! Thanks Jenn! I'm with Angie...this will be my go-to article. Many, many, thanks!
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Jennifer, Texas
Wife to Mark, Mom to Cora 13,Kade 10, Sarah in Heaven 12/05, Colette 7, Corin 5, & Kieran 2
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: When does Christmas end help
