Christmas Has Just Begun

By The Rt. Rev. Keith L. Ackerman, SSC, DD 

I think it should not surprise us that in spite of the fact that the Christian Calendar (Kalendar) has a much longer history than the evolving, innovative secular American calendar, it is the secular calendar that is winning. In fact, not only is it winning in the “secular world” (a redundant phrase) it is winning in Christian churches who have little sense of historicity, eliminating the Calendar of the Church and replacing it with the “Christian Light” Calendar: Christmas (which has 12 days after December 25); Easter (which includes Good Friday); and Mother’s Day. 

While one might argue as to what is right or wrong, the reality is that most modern denominations and so-called Bible churches and non-denominational churches have eliminated virtually all Christian feast days. In areas where these churches predominate, we should not be surprised when fellow parishioners seem to be surprised to learn or to remember what have been the traditional festivals/feast days of the church. Sadly, whenever feast days are eliminated and the liturgical seasons are eliminated, we are met with a cultureless Christianity. Unfortunately, that means that secular “holidays” have replaced religious holidays or religious holidays have become secular versions of what they were instituted to be. Sociologists have coined the phrase “civil religion” which in our context means that when the Church drops festivals and holy days, the culture establishes something to fill the void. (I will not burden you with “Christmas Break” and “Easter Break” versus “Winter Break” and “Spring Break.”)

So, how long is Christmas? The secular world, which has dragged some modern churches with them, seems to have Christmas begin either right before or right after Thanksgiving. There is no opportunity to focus on savoring the taste of the Thanksgiving meal and enjoying time with family because a new, secular feast is celebrated the day after Thanksgiving: “Black Friday.” It’s Christmas everywhere. On one hand, not unlike the birth of all children, we do spend the last month making preparations for the birth; it’s just that the expectant mother is not normally up to celebrating parties that month. She is much too busy for the event - “the birth.” Traditionally, Christians have called the time preceding the Birth of the Baby Jesus “Advent.” It is after the birth that friends and family come to celebrate the birth of the child. However, for many - including many modern churches - who see the secular calendar as the “official” calendar, on the day after Christmas Day,  it’s all over! 

For traditional Christians, the season of Christmas has just begun, and for at least twelve days, it continues, with holy days (holidays) almost every day. Traditional churches follow the biblical pattern: Jesus is born, Jesus is circumcised and named on the eighth day (January 1), and the Wise Men (sometimes called Kings) arrive bearing their gifts on January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany. Of course, “enlightened people” will tell us that Jesus wasn’t born on December 25 and that the Wise Men took years to complete their trek, but that type of person apparently does not understand the difference between observing important events versus writing a substantial paper regarding historicity. If one were to take that reasoning to its conclusion, then we should only celebrate Christmas every 33 years. 

Likewise, Good Friday and Easter - every 33 years, since most historians believe that Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection took place within a 33-year period. It would be like saying that there is only one birthday for us, the day we were born, and that every year we celebrate our birthday, we should never celebrate that day except on the precise day at the precise time. Many people do not enjoy birthday parties at two in the morning, and babies and parents do not always have a consultation before birth about the most convenient time for the mother. Moreover the “enlightened people” who are convinced that they have the inside track on biblical understandings generally offer no alternatives for observing these biblical feasts at the “historically correct” time.

So, is January 6 - or its eve (Sundown on January 5) - the official last day of Christmas? Yes and no. Certainly the Twelve Days are the traditional days of the Christmas season, and technically, most traditional Christians do not take any decorations down until the Epiphany. But, forty days after Christmas Day (again followed by traditional Christians) is the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, also known as the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which involves the blessing of the Candles (Candlemas) to be used that year in churches. Indeed, Epiphany proclaims, by virtue of the Adoration of the Magi who are from Gentile lands, that this Messiah, waited for by the Jews for centuries, is for ALL people - Jews and Gentiles; and on Candlemas, February 2, St. Simeon once again proclaims that reality. Ironically many Americans who trace their heritage from Spain have a traditional cake served on Epiphany. In the cake is placed a baby figure and the “winner” who finds the Christ child in his or her piece of cake must now make and serve tamales on the following February 2. 

So, how long is Christmas? Well, in one sense all year, since every Mass that is celebrated is a “Christ” Mass. In another sense, it is twelve days long, and in yet another sense it is 40 days long. But by then it is time for St. Valentine’s Day (no, this saint did not shoot arrows at peoples’ hearts); and St. Patrick’s Day (no, he did not drink green beer.) But there it is. For Christians we have a choice, simply go with the flow, do what the crowd does, or claim and reclaim our heritage. After all, there is no law that mandates either (St.) Valentine’s Day or St. Patrick’s Day, so maybe it is Hallmark that determines what is and what isn’t a feast day? Can we take a day off from school or work because “I’m tired” but would never take a day off for Good Friday? In the end the question is this: Did “they” take our Christian kalendar away or did “we” simply allow it to be taken? The same principle can apply in terms of our faith. If attending a church on Sunday were suddenly “against the law” as it is and has been in several countries, would attendance decline in adherence to the law or would it increase because “no one is going to tell me what I can and can’t do”? If Christians were more firm in their faith, much of the above would never have had to be written because all of the aforementioned observances would have continued since “it is what we always have done at all times and in all places” for over two thousand years.

The Rt. Rev. Keith L. Ackerman is currently the bishop vicar of the Diocese of Quincy of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) and Assisting Bishop of Fort Worth. After many years serving on the board of Nashotah House, Bishop Ackerman now serves as an Honorary Trustee. In July 2020, he was appointed as Interim Bishop of the Diocese of the Southwest, by the Most Rev. Foley Beach, Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church in North America. Bishop Ackerman lives in Keller, Texas. He works part-time as a therapist, assists the bishop of the Diocese of Fort Worth (ACNA), and serves as vicar of St. Timothy's Church in Fort Worth. Before becoming a bishop, Bishop Ackerman served as a curate at the Church of the Transfiguration in Freeport, Long Island, New York (1974–76); then as rector of St. Mary's Church in Charleroi, Pennsylvania (1976-1989); and then as rector of St. Mark's Church in Arlington, Texas (1989 - 1994).