Celebrating January 1st through January 6th

January 4th - The Tenth Day of Christmas is a day which we celebrate Elizabeth Ann Seton, a wife, mother, and religious who was the first native-born American to be canonized.

January 5th - On the Eleventh Day of Christmas, we remember John Neumann who gave a lot to parochial schools.

January 6th - This is the traditional Epiphany, the Twelfth Day of Christmas. A visit from the magi and the Epiphany blessing of the home is in order. A great day to have a party. This is the climax of Christmas. Make your enthusiasm for this day infectious!

We've been hosting an annual "Twelfth Night Open House" since 1978. We invite everyone we know. Now that our children are grown, it has become a good time for our family to get together.

Some people are confused by the date of Epiphany. It is our understanding that it moves around on the Liturgical Calendar, being celebrated on the Sunday after New Year's in Canada and the USA.

Remember to bless your home today!

Have some incense burning, a sprig from a bush, some water, and divide a cake into as many pieces as you have participants. Hide a coin or dry bean in one piece and distribute them at random. Whoever gets the special piece of cake with the bean/coin in it is crowned (paper crown or party hat), robed (bathrobe), saluted (noisemakers left over from New Year's), and toasted (hot apple cider or whatever...)! The new royalty now writes with chalk over the front door of your home the following:

20+ C + M + B + 01

The numbers represent the new year. The four crosses are the four seasons. C-M-B are the initials of the legendary names of the magi: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. Another explanation of C-M-B is "Christus mansionem benedicat - May Christ bless this dwelling place".

Now, say a simple blessing such as:

Dear God,
we thank you for this past year
and for the year to come.

Be with us as we fill our home with kindness,
hospitality, and caring for others.

Help us to dream the dream of a better world
and to work towards that dream daily.

Hold us close to each other.
Keep us close in spirit with those who have died or who are far away.

May all who come to our home this year
rejoice to find Christ living among us;
and may we seek and serve,
in everyone we meet,
Jesus who is Lord for ever and ever.

Bless us as we burn this incense.
Bless us as we use this chalk to mark our door.
Bless us as we sprinkle our home with this water.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Now, everyone moves from room to room sprinkling the home with water, a sign of Jesus' baptism in the River Jordan.

Try singing some Epiphany songs such as "We Three Kings" or "O Come All Ye Faithful".

When done with all the rooms, say the Lord's Prayer, and finish with exchanging the sign of peace.

Epiphany is also called "Theophany", the appearance of God. Epiphany is the climax of the year of grace, an anticipation of the parousia, a foretaste of the fulfillment of the promise of Easter. All of Christmas, all of Advent, and even all of the time since Pentecost have led to this feast.

February 2nd - Candlemas - Feast of Lights - the worst of winter is past. This day closes the Christmas Season. A day for blessing of candles. In many countries, the creche is surrounded today with potted spring flowers -- before being dismantled. Like old Simeon himself, Christmas departs in peace. Also the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple. Daytime is lengthening rapidly. The "lengthen season" - the meaning of the word "Lent" - comes soon. The world aches for springtime.

On Christmas Day a light was kindled. On Epiphany this light rose to twinkle from the stars. Today, this starlight is placed in our very arms. We are hand-in-hand with God.

The Twelve Days of Christmas