The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph

Many people are surprised to learn that Catholics celebrate Christmas not just a single day but as an entire season. The Christmas Season begins with the Nativity of the Lord on December 25 and continues until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which is celebrated on January 11th this year. This extended season allows the Church to linger over the mystery of the Incarnation, rejoicing that God has entered our world and remains with us.

At the heart of the Christmas Season is the Christmas Octave, the eight-day period from December 25 through January 1. During these days, the Church celebrates Christmas as one continuous feast, as if every day were Christmas Day itself. Each day of the Octave highlights a different aspect of the mystery.

Within the Octave, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Family, usually on the Sunday after Christmas, today. This feast invites families to look to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as a model of love, patience, and faithfulness in everyday life. It is a beautiful opportunity to pray together as a family, ask God’s blessing on the home, and reflect on how Christ dwells in the ordinary moments of family life.

The Octave concludes with the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, on January 1st, a Holy Day of Obligation. This feast is not placed on January 1 to mark the civil new year, but liturgically as the culmination of the Octave of Christmas. On this day, Catholics honor Mary’s unique role in God’s plan of salvation and reflect on her faithful response to God in bearing His Son.

Catholics are invited to celebrate and live the Christmas Season from December 25th through the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord by keeping the joy and wonder of the Nativity alive in their homes and hearts. How can we do this? During the Octave of Christmas, December 25th through January 1st, the Church encourages feasting and rejoicing each day as if it were Christmas itself. You might also leave up Nativity scenes and decorations until the Baptism of the Lord on January 11th and continue to pray with Christmas devotionals and scheduling time to perform acts of charity and hospitality.

By intentionally savoring this extended celebration, we allow the mystery of the Incarnation to deepen in our lives, bringing the light, peace, and love of Christ into ordinary daily moments and strengthening our relationship with God and with others.