Christmastide (also Christmas or the Christmas season) is one of the seasons of the liturgical year of some Christian churches. It tends to be defined (with slight variations) as the period from Christmas Day to 5 January, the day before the start of the octave of Epiphany.^[1][2] This period is also commonly known as the twelve days of Christmas, as referred to in the Christmas carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas", or Yuletide as in "Deck the Halls". During the season various festivities are traditionally enjoyed and buildings decorated. In some countries, by superstition it is bad luck to leave the decorations up after Twelfth Night. Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      This article is about... Advent (from the Latin Adventus, implicitly coupled with Redemptoris, the coming of the Saviour) is a holy season of the Christian church, the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Christ, also known as the season of Christmas. ... The Wise Men (Magi) adoring the infant Jesus. ... It has been suggested that Cuaresma be merged into this article or section. ... Easter Triduum, or Holy Triduum, or Paschal Triduum is a term used by some Christian churches, particularly the Roman Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church, and many Anglicans, to denote, collectively, the three days from the evening of Maundy Thursday (or Holy Thursday) to the evening of Easter Sunday. ... Eastertide, or the Easter Season, begins on Easter Sunday and continues until Pentecost in the Christian liturgical calendar, thus spanning a total of seven weeks. ... This article is about the Ascension of Jesus Christ. ... The Descent of the Holy Spirit in a 15th century illuminated manuscript. ... Ordinary Time is a season of the Christian (especially the Catholic) liturgical calendar. ... It has been suggested that Crouchmas be merged into this article or section. ... The Nativity Fast, practiced by the Eastern Orthodox Church, is believed to enable participants to draw closer to God by denying the body of worldly pleasure in preparation for celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, which is held on December 25th (Julian Calendar). ... For the Nativity of Jesus, see Nativity of Jesus. ... Look up theophany in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Great Lent is the greatest fasting period in the church year in Eastern Christianity, which prepares Christians for the greatest feast of the church year, Easter (or Holy Pascha). Although it is in many ways similar to Lent in Western Christianity, there are important differences in the timing of Lent... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Easter, the Sunday of... The Descent of the Holy Spirit in a 15th century illuminated manuscript. ... The upper part of The Transfiguration (1520) by Raphael, depicting Christ miraculously discoursing with Moses and Elijah The word Transfiguration means a changing of appearance or form. ... Dormition of the Virgin redirects here. ... The Intercession of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary (Russian Pokrov, Покров) is one of the most important Russian Orthodoxy feasts (maybe the most important after the Twelve Great Feasts). ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      This article is about... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is a monotheistic... Joseph and Mary with baby Jesus, at the first Christmas Christmas (literally, the Mass of Christ) is a holiday in the Christian calendar, usually observed on December 25, which celebrates the birth of Jesus. ... January 5 is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the Christian feast. ... The Twelve Days of Christmas and the associated evenings of those twelve days (Twelve-tide), are the festive days beginning the evening of Christmas Day (December 25) through the morning of Epiphany on (January 6). ... This page is about carols in general; for the short story by Charles Dickens, see A Christmas Carol. ... The Twelve Days of Christmas and the associated evenings of those twelve days (Twelve-tide), are the festive days beginning the evening of Christmas Day (December 25) through the morning of Epiphany on (January 6). ... Yule is the winter solstice Blót (celebration) in Asatru, the pagan practices of the Germanic peoples prior to the arrival of Christianity. ... Deck the Halls is a secular Christmas carol. ... Twelfth Night is a holiday in some branches of Christianity marking the coming of the Epiphany, concluding the Twelve Days of Christmas, and is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as the evening of the fifth of January, preceding Twelfth Day, the eve of the Epiphany, formerly the last day...

In the Roman Catholic Church, Christmastide begins at the Christmas Vigil Mass^[3] and runs until the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which falls on the Sunday after Epiphany (on 13 January in the pre-Vatican II calendar) and, in some more traditional Catholic circles, the Christmas season was formerly extended as far as February 2, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord/Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary ("Candlemas"). The Solemnity of Christmas itself begins on the Vigil of Christmas and continues for eight days in the Octave of Christmas.^{[citation needed]} In the Church of England, the Christmas season begins at Evening Prayer on Christmas Eve and ends before Evening Prayer on the Eve of the Epiphany (which may be celebrated on 6 January or on the Sunday between 2 and 8 January). “Catholic Church” redirects here. ... The Baptism of the Lord is the name of a feast day observed in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican (Episcopalian) Church. ... January 13 is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Candlemas (Russian: Sretenie, Spanish: Candelaria) is a Christian feast commemorating the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of the infant Jesus in the Temple. ... The Church of England logo since 1998 The Church of England is the officially established Christian church[1] in England, and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. ... is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

1. ^ Christmastide. Holy Trinity (German) Catholic Church.
2. ^ The Schema of Christmastide. Holy Trinity (German) Catholic Church.
3. ^ c.t.iannuzzo. The Liturgical Year. Le Poulet Gauche.

Further reading

• Dennis Bratcher (2006-07-13). The Season of Epiphany. Seasons of the Church Year. CRI / Voice, Institute.
• MaggiRos (2002-12-13). Keeping Christmas. Life in Elizabethan England.

Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Christmas season
• Advent

The Christmas season (also known as the holiday season) is a term that covers the time when two interconnected periods of celebration are held. ... Advent (from the Latin Adventus, implicitly coupled with Redemptoris, the coming of the Saviour) is a holy season of the Christian church, the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Christ, also known as the season of Christmas. ...

External links

• Weeks of Advent