It's December 29. Anyone else still celebrating Christmas? Are you celebrating Chanukkah?

[Yeshuasdaughter]

I had heard about the 12 days of Christmas a few years ago, how certain Christian denominations celebrate Christmas until January 6th (I think?). I had a friend who told me that Christmas lasts 12 days and that they celebrate Epiphany on Jan 6th, because that's traditionally the time period that ancient peoples assumed it would take for the Magi to travel from ancient Persia to Bethlehem.

My friend was like "The wise men haven't even arrived yet. It's still Christmas!" Certain denominations have a special holiday called epiphany to commemorate the 3 wise men arriving in Bethlehem.

I thought that was such a cool idea. So even though I don't take that part very seriously (my theory is more that Jesus was born at the end of Summer, and that he was maybe like 2 years old when the Magi arrived), I incorporated it into our family practice. It's been a big blessing. Sort of an extended time of rest and family time.

So we have 12 days of Christmas. We keep the tree up, and light it every night. We watch Christmas movies and hang out. Family time. Special baked treats. That kind of thing.

It's cool this year because it's also Chanukkah. We celebrate that too. So we're getting eight nights of light. So it's like menorah, dreydel, latkes, sufganiyot, Maccabees, and Christmas movies, stockings, tree, and ornaments.

It's really special this year, because I didn't know if I'd have my daughter home. But she flew in a little over a week ago. I've been so overjoyed ever since. Relieved. Family time and special holidays mean a whole lot more this year.

Anyone else still celebrating Christmas and doing the Epiphany thang, or celebrating Chanukkah?

 

[Forest Cat]

I have been in Christmas mode since the 23rd.

 

[FayetheAspie]

Some also celebrate Christmas on Jan 7th instead of in Dec. I tend to use that reasoning to celebrate both days and keep the season going longer. I also celebrate Hanukkah.

 

[Rachie]

Happy Chanukkah to all those who celebrate it.
I looked it up quickly to see if I could be celebrating it in another word and I read it is the same word as Hanukkah supppodesly on Google search, not me. Believe it, what can I say. I have to have it confirmed but just may be have a rough idea.

I was wondering if I could have celebrated it under another name as it has happened before sort of Torah/Christian celebration. Today in church the reading was about the passover so it made me wonder as well whether it was a bit mutal and on Wednesday about the circumsion of Jesus. I was just writing a bit on the subject yesterday as well.

A quick one....the Hanukkah/Chanukkah just from briefly glancing on photos looks a bit like the candle holder on the left in first photo please enlarge it by clicking. What is that as it is not got a flag by it so I cannot confirm as it has no label like the rest. They already display the Israel nativity which is white and small in the middle in the second photo. I really loved it and tried to find one similar this year and just ordered a cute one to me from Amazon.
https://www.autismforums.com/attachments/20221207_111805-jpg.138539/

https://www.autismforums.com/attachments/20221207_111552-jpg.138537/

 

[Mary Terry]

Our tree is still up, the wreath is on the front door, and most of the presents are still under the tree opened in their boxes. When I was growing up, we traditionally took the tree down on New Years Day but I've been known to leave it till mid-January because I'm lazy.

We have gone to Mexico for many years for Christmas and I really enjoy it there. They celebrate Christmas from December 12 to January 6 and have a final event on February 2nd. The nativity scene is the major holiday decoration, not Christmas trees, but they don't put out the baby Jesus until Christmas Eve. On February 2nd, they take their baby Jesus figurine to church to be blessed. Poinsettias are native to Mexico and lots of them are proudly displayed in homes and public places. I like their lowkey, more religious orientation and lesser focus on gift giving although one cool thing is that the kids get gifts from each of the three magi, too.

 

[Misty Avich]

As soon as Christmas day is over I no longer feel Christmassy, although I don't usually take the Christmas tree and decorations down until the first weekend in January.

 

[Gerontius]

Still celebrating Christmas, and will be doing so until Epiphany. I'm not celebrating Hanukkah because that would be a bit odd for someone raised outside of Judaism, strictly Gentile to the core, to suddenly start doing - but as I'm Catholic I do get to read the Maccabees in the bible as our copies of the bible still include the apocryphal books. Hanukkah sounds like an awful lot of fun

Not decorated here, because poverty and mental issues mean I live in a dump, but I do have a great time with the social side of the season. My Christmas present to myself was to spend most days of the holiday break sitting in a coffeeshop where they would give me refills on black coffee and a spot to put my typewriter so I finally got into a proper "flow state" writing for the first time in over a year. Catnip for my aspie brain.

It has been a weird but merry holiday nonetheless.

 

[Shevek]

I've been getting better at timing the installation and removal of my Christmas lights (a tall, stylized "tree" bolted to my house) to avoid getting my hands too cold. Soon, I'll be watching for an opportunity to take it down for another win. The rigging and storage seem pretty well optimized.

 

[Princess Viola]

Well, we do still got all our Christmas decorations up (including the Nativity scene outside) but I don't think we're still celebrating it celebrating it.

I mean I am internally but not externally.

 

[Aspychata]

This Christmas and Christmas eve was in a hospital , and my SO left yesterday. So l threw a bunch of stuff back in freezer, and subsisted off of the hospital diner grub I soon grew tired of that, went for a salad at fast food place across the street. After biopsy, scans, ultrasound results, we will know the big reveal. I will advocate against xmas at the hospital, but l am grateful for those employees who worked those shifts.

 

[Cutesie]

It's the fifth night of Chanuka tonight. (Don't mind the various spellings. It's a transliteration of the Hebrew, and there are literally tens of possibilities.) So far, I've done basically the obligatory stuff: lighting candles and saying prayers. I also have been singing and listening to holiday songs. As to customary foods, I had one potato latka (pancake) as a guest at a Sabbath night meal. Cravings for doughnuts have come many times, but I've not given in yet. In some years, I've had several of these hundreds-of-calories-per-treat goodies every one of the eight days .

 

[Gerontius]

It's the fifth night of Chanuka tonight. (Don't mind the various spellings. It's a transliteration of the Hebrew, and there are literally tens of possibilities.) So far, I've done basically the obligatory stuff: lighting candles and saying prayers. I also have been singing and listening to holiday songs. As to customary foods, I had one potato latka (pancake) as a guest at a Sabbath night meal. Cravings for doughnuts have come many times, but I've not given in yet. In some years, I've had several of these hundreds-of-calories-per-treat goodies every one of the eight days .

That sounds like a lot of fun...

 

[Shevek]

I finally did something Christmassy and traditional. I re-read a favourite short story (returned in timely fashion by a new friend.) First published in the magazine supplement to Sunday newspapers I read as a boy, it is the story of one Christmas Eve. A couple in a very brightly decorated house were despondent, because their children, 17, 14, & 11 had chosen, once again, to be "out with their friends," as they had for over a week. Then, the kids showed up as part of a well-rehearsed, self-organized children's choir, caroling and collecting for charity.

 

[Rachie]

Looking at the first link tbat I posted about the multiple candle holder. I didn't get it at first at all. I thought it was meant to be naviety themed. Taking a good look around the cupboard they haf a couple of different lights in there. The carving seems interesting on it. I have never seen one like that before.

My decorations will be taken probably 3=4th January. A lot of people will take their decorations down by this weekend 12th might.

Shevek I am glad that you got to do something festive in the end.

 

[Sherlock77]

For me Christmas basically finishes on Christmas Day, lots of people get the time off between Christmas and New Year's Day, I haven't... But Boxing Day (day after Christmas) is basically a holiday day as well...

As a protestant there is no special other day for Christmas, even our church services shift away from Christmas themes once Christmas Eve service is finished

 

[Rachie]

I read this very interesting, many people I am sure would want their house blessed. I found this in a church newsletter this week.

WHEN DOES CHRISTMAS END? In our secular culture the
Christmas season begins around mid-September and winds up
around December 27. However, in the Church, the season of
Christmas begins with the vigil Masses on Christmas Eve and
concludes on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord (12th January
2025). It is for this reason that the crib in the church will remain
on display throughout this time.
During this season, we celebrate the birth of Christ into our
world and into our hearts, and reflect on the gift of salvation
that is born with him including the fact that he was born to die
for us.
THE CHALKING OF THE DOORS: AN EPIPHANY TRADITION Epiph-
any (also known as Twelfth Night or Three Kings Day) marks the
occasion of this tradition. The formula for the ritual — adapted
for 2025 — is simple: take a stick of chalk and write the following
above the entrance of your home: 20 + C + M + B + 25
What does this strange equation mean?

The letters have two meanings. First, they represent the initials
of the Magi — Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar — who came to vis-
it Jesus in His first home. They also abbreviate the Latin
5
Rphrase, Christus Mansionem Benedicat: “May Christ bless the
house.” The “+” signs represent the Cross and the “20” at the
beginning and the “25” at the end mark the year.
This equation is simply a humble request for Christ to bless our
homes and that His protecting hand be over our families and
friends in all the joys and challenges of the coming year

 

[Rachie]

I asked my Anglican rector if the church I attend does this. As I wrote I found the above information in a church newsletter. It was in my childhood church newsletter and this is very well established.
Anyway, my rector replied and said she will happily bless some chalk for me, although our church doesn't follow this as standard.
12th night is on the 6th so I will use the chalk and take down the rest of my decorations then as well.
There is mention of chalking the doors on the Church of England website as well. My chalk is ordered from good old Amazon.