As we move into the new year, many of us may think that Christmas is over. But to paraphrase the Carpenters’ song from the ‘70’s, “It’s only just begun.”

While the retail world started celebrating Christmas in July and has already moved on to Valentine’s Day, our celebration of the Lord’s incarnation continues through the octave of Christmas, then continues until Candlemas, which is the day in which we celebrate the feast of Jesus’ presentation in the temple.

This 40-day Christmas season, known as Christmastide, which begins with the Vigil Mass on Christmas Eve and ends on February 2^nd, is an opportunity to continue our long celebration of the birth of Christ.

The Christmas season is full of incredible feast days for us to celebrate. Each of these feast days provides us with an opportunity to further develop our understanding of our faith, the Church, and the lives of so many great saints.

Several of these feast days stand out to me on a personal level, including the Feast of St. Stephen on December 26^th, the Feast of the Holy Family on December 30^th, and the Feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton on January 4^th. 

St. Stephen was one of the first Deacons of the Church and was the first martyr of the Church. St. Stephen is of special   interest to Deacons as he is the Patron Saint of Deacons. December 26^th is also a somber day for our family, as it is the anniversary of my brother-in-law’s passing in 2021.

As I said in my homily the Sunday before last, The Holy Family has provided us with a wonderful example for us to imitate and is a true model of Sanctification for Christian families. Their home was one where tenderness, understanding, and mutual respect abounded.

And finally, the feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is very special to me on various levels. As a convert to Catholicism, and the first native-born American saint, her story and her contribution to the founding of the parochial school system is inspirational. She is the patron saint of Catholic schools, teachers, widows, orphans, and those who have been persecuted for their faith. My connection with St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is twofold; I earned my MBA at Seton Hill University and January 4^th is the anniversary of my mother’s passing in 1981.
​
So how can you embrace Christmastide this year? What feast days during this 40-day period hold a special place in your heart? How will you continue to celebrate the birth of Jesus throughout the entire Christmas season? Because, as Lenny Kravitz said, “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over!”