These Twelve Days:: A Family Guide to After-Christmas Celebrations

INTRODUCTION

Twelve days, twelve nights: the season of Christmas. These Twelve Days is a book about Christmas, of God coming into the world. It is a book written for families, communities, and congregations to share the stories and traditions of times past as well as rituals and stories of today.

These twelve holy days were celebrated long before the Christchild was born. The Romans gathered to observe the birthday of the Unconquered Sun at the time of the winter solstice. During this time between Saturnalia and Calends, candles were lit and presents exchanged as tokens of cheerfulness and goodwill.

The Jewish Feast of the Dedication came near the time of Saturnalia. Historians believe that thousands of candles were burning brightly through Palestine at the time of Christ’s birth. First-century Christians adopted this period to celebrate the light of God coming into the world. Twelve days were set aside, with the first and last days being celebrated with great solemnity as the Greater and Lesser Epiphany, December 25 and January 6.

Each day of the twelve days that follow Christmas has a history, a tradition, and a story, from the Feast of Stephen to the Feast of the Holy Family, from the scripture stories of Mary and Joseph to those of the holy innocents and the Magi. With this presentation of the twelve days of Christmas, we draw from the traditions and rituals of Western and Eastern Orthodox churches, and ethnic celebrations affiliated with the days.

Based on the scripture readings as laid out in the Revised Common Lectionary, each chapter carries a theme of the Old or New Testament lesson. After a brief introduction, a story—suitable for reading aloud to others or individually in silence—begins each chapter’s exploration. Next, a tradition section presents background information on the religious and cultural traditions of that day; it can be read ahead of time to share verbally after a family or group reading of the story. Each chapter concludes with Entering the Ritual: Ideas for Family Celebration. If you have some time, pick one as a group and enjoy further exploring that particular day of the Christmas celebration.

These Twelve Days shares with you the days of Christmas. It elaborates their traditions and suggests ways to celebrate them as families, congregations, and communities of friends. And it presents stories that will help you experience the gift of each day.

1

CHRISTMAS DAY

December 25

Christmas Day: This day of the twelve is one we know well. The Festival of the Incarnation is the one day of the twelve that is celebrated by all Christians. Today in churches around the world, the miracle of God begotten human has been read and proclaimed: the story of the shepherds, the angels, the inn, the manger, Joseph and Mary.

As we reflect on the Christmas story, we focus the story of the Word, the very power that created everything. The Word that was from the beginning with God. The Word that is God. The Word through which all things were made. The very Word that became flesh and dwelt among us.

This Christmas story is Genesis told anew. It is a story of total affirmation. God affirms the goodness and value of creation and creatures by entering them both. The incarnation speaks to God’s love and affirmation for all of creation, from the handmaiden of God and her carpenter husband to the cave that held the oxen and ass. This miracle, this baby Jesus, was not only God in human form. This was God living and breathing in God’s creation.

SCRIPTURE

John 1:1–5, 10–12, 14

In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. God was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through God, and without God not one thing came into being. What has come into being in God was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the shadows, and the shadows did not overcome it. God was in the world, and the world came into being through God; yet the world did not know God. God came to what was God’s own, and God’s own people did not accept God. But to all who received God, who believed in God’s name, power was given to become children of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen God’s glory, the glory as of a parent’s only child, full of grace and truth.

CHRISTMAS DAWN

Norman brushed two inches of snow off the windshield of his car as he began his daily journey to the only café in town for his evening meal. The air was cold. The car groaned before it started. Snow was falling in light, small flakes. Norman drove the six blocks to the café and parked in back. He had eaten one meal a day here for the six years that had passed since Emma died. He always parked in the same place, sat at the same spot at the counter, and visited with the same people. It made him feel at home—like family. But today was different. Today he was two hours early for supper. The café closed at 4:00 P.M. today. Today was Christmas Eve.

Supper was the one daily time in Norman’s life when he was not alone. The company was as important as the food. He walked in past the shipping crates in the back hall, past the kitchen, and headed to his spot at the counter. The restaurant was empty.

Everyone must be already getting ready for the big night, Norman thought. Maybe I’ll go back and stand with Dick in the kitchen.

He walked back to the kitchen, rapped on the door, and stepped in. The odor of hash browns was a presence in this room, even when none were on the grill.

What are you up to, Norman? a man in white pants and T-shirt greeted him. You’re a little early today.

I guess it’s eat early today or never, Norman replied as he slipped up onto an empty counter. You and everybody else have important things to do tonight. I’ll take the hot beef sandwich.

As Dick went to the refrigerator, he said, What’s up for you for Christmas, Norm? Are you going down to your brother Ted’s place?

Not until tomorrow, Norman replied. It’s such a long drive that I decided to stay home tonight. I’ve been alone on Christmas Eve before. These last five years I’ve gotten used to being alone.

The phone rang. Dick handed Norman his hot beef sandwich and a glass of milk as he answered the phone. Norman carried his meal out to the dining room and sat at the counter. Alone.

It’s not so bad, he told himself. This really is a day like any other day. I’m eating early so I might as well just go to bed early. Next thing I know it’ll be morning.

On his way home he stopped at the store for a few groceries. The store was all but deserted. The shelves were bare of groceries, and the aisles were bare of people. He was surprised at how early this little town shut down for Christmas. He drove slowly through town. It was dusk, and the lights of the homes were coming on. He looked in at each house with open drapes and imagined the smells.

There is probably ham in some, turkey in others and roast beef. I remember the roast beef dinners . . . 

Norman pulled into the familiar garage, turned off the car, and walked through the darkness to the kitchen door. He’d lived here for thirty-five years and knew every step in the dark.

All of a sudden he heard a screech. At the same time, he felt something at his feet. He jumped, startled, and dropped his groceries. The cat, he concluded. It’s that cat that’s been hanging around here since Thursday. I thought she was gone. She’s been in here.

As he picked up his groceries, he was thankful for the first time for the wax milk cartons. He had complained to Emma many times about missing the old glass bottles. Today he was glad for the carton—the glass would have broken.

In the kitchen he put away his groceries. He heard the cat again, outside the kitchen window. This time it was a simple meow, no screeching. He remembered cats. They’d had no children, but Emma always had two cats. When Norman was growing up, cats always belonged in the barn, not the house. But Emma’s cats, they lived indoors. He’d never really complained to her, but he never really liked it. When she died, he gave them to Emma’s niece.

He heard it again, Meow. She wants in. If I let her in, she’ll never leave. I’ll just go to bed. I won’t hear her from the bedroom. Norman went to bed before 7 P.M., about three hours before his usual bedtime. As he went to sleep, he thought about Christmas. He thought about Emma and felt alone.

Three in the morning—I should have known better. Go to bed three hours early, and wake up three hours early. Norman crawled out of bed and went down to the kitchen. The squeaking of the stairs sounded rude in the quiet, empty house.

Christmas morning, he thought. I’ll fix some coffee and sit in the chair to wait for the dawn. If I leave now, I’ll get to Ted’s house too early.

Norman filled the coffee pot and sat at the table to wait

Meow.

There it is again. She still wants in.

It might have been that he wasn’t quite awake. It might have been that he didn’t have the heart to chase it away. It might have been the one more request that he could not refuse. He didn’t know why, but Norman opened the kitchen door. The cold greeted his whole body.

Here, Kitty, he called. Here, Kitty. Come on in.

The cat responded immediately. Norman went to the refrigerator and took out the milk. It’s no thanks to you that I still have this milk, he reflected on his spill the evening before.

He poured the milk in the bowl and opened a can of tuna fish. As the cat enjoyed this fine meal, Norman drank his coffee. He was tired and still felt