What are the 12 Days of Christmas?
The 12 days of Christmas is the span of time between
the birth of Christ and the coming of the three wise men. It begins on December
25th and runs until January 6, the Epiphany (sometimes called Three
Kings Day).
Does that mean Christmas is more than just the 25th
of December?
Yes. Many people celebrate the Christmas season,
beginning at the start of Advent (which begins four Sundays prior to Christmas
and ends on December 24th), and then suddenly Christmas is over as
of the 26th. But the Christian tradition speaks of Christmas as a
longer celebration. So this means that once December 26th arrives,
you do not have to let go of your Christmas music, you can continue to enjoy
the reason for the season.
Below we have outlined 12 Days of Christmas
celebrations and plus an Epiphany Party Outline.
The Twelve Days of Christmas Outline
Day 1 - December 25 (Christmas Day): Waking
up on Christmas morning to exchange gifts has always been a wonderful tradition,
but often the birth of Christ is overlooked by the lure of material gain. On
the 25th it is recommended that you engage in an activity that reminds
people that Christmas is a birthday celebration for Jesus.
Here are some ideas which you can utilize to ensure a
Christ focus for Christmas day:
1) Have an advent calendar that shows visual anticipation for Christ’s arrival. You can make these as a family craft
or there are some for purchase via local Christian stores.
2)
Have a Nativity Scene/Creche as a
prominent decoration in your home for Christmas
If your nativity set has a Baby Jesus which is a separate piece, you can
wrap the Baby Jesus in a small box and address the box to the household and
family, having the children open that gift before all others.
3)
If you have a Christmas dinner on
Christmas day, or a special brunch or meal, have a special dessert (a birthday
cake or cupcakes) for the meal and sing Happy Birthday to Jesus
4)
If you have children who anticipate
gifts from Santa Claus, explain how Santa gives gifts to emulate the gift of
grace shown to us from God, through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
Make
the connection between Christmas and Easter
Day 2 - December 26 (Boxing Day): Boxing
Day is not a holiday all over the world, rather it is the day that has developed
in the United Kingdom and other British Commonwealths. Many people rush to the
stores on Boxing Day to buy clearance items, which often go on sale once Christmas Day has come and gone. Sadly, this mad dash for cheap goods robs us of
the true meaning of the Christmas season, as well as the suspected origins of Boxing
Day.
The origins of Boxing Day are unknown, but there are
two main theories about where the tradition came from. The first is the wealthy
households and aristocrats would fill boxes with gifts, money, and food for
their servants and employees. Often servants would serve the wealthy families
for Christmas Day dinners and gatherings, so the 26th became a day
off or a day of gifts in lieu of Christmas. Another popular theory is that Boxing
Day came from the collections of monetary and goods donations given to the
church, which the clergy would then box up for distribution on boxing day. In
both cases, it is the lower classes of society that are being remembered,
either with gifts from the wealthy to their staff or gifts from the community to
the poor. Charity for those less fortunate seems to be the underlying theme.
Here are some ideas which you can do to celebrate
Christmas and keep alive the theme of Charity on Boxing Day:
1) Grab two empty boxes. For box one, search your home for possessions
that you no longer need or want but are in good condition. Collect these
items and place them in box one and take the box to a shelter or donation center
which will see the items passed along to those in need. This is a great way to
get children to appreciate passing on toys they no longer play with to kids who
could use them. In the second box, collect up food donations to take to a local
food bank or shelter. Make sure they are non-perishables. You should
also consider adding toiletries and hygiene products to this box as well.
2) Spend some time as a household
researching a charity or program that the family will spend the new year
dedicating their time towards supporting. This will bring awareness of the
needs of the community and the wider world.
Day 3 - December 27 (3:16 Day): Within
the Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, and the Lutheran Calendar, the 27th
of December is the Feast Day of Saint John the Apostle. Saint John is believed
to have written the fourth Gospel, three Epistles, and Revelation. Of all Saint
John’s words, the words from the Gospel verse, John 3:16 may be the most
infamous: For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever
believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John’s gospel emphasizes the divinity of
Christ, and that God gives of himself by condescending into flesh to walk with
us. A part of God’s love for us is to be with us, and the birth of Jesus and
the celebration of Christmas is part of the grander understating of the idea of
God with us and God giving us His Son Jesus.
Here are some ideas which you can use to help emulate
God with us:
1)
Plan to visit someone who may be
lonely for the Christmas Season, this could be someone from your wider family or someone from the community. If you can, bring them a Christmas card, which
shares the good news about Christmas, and spend some time with them, hear their
stories, welcome their conversation, and be present with them.
2)
Plan an outing for your household. Invite
others to join you on your adventure. Around Christmas, there are many fun
activities to do, ice skating, tobogganing, walking around looking at Christmas
lights and displays, or going out for dinner and conversation. Explain to your
guest that the time of fellowship is a sacred time, that it is in celebration
of God’s love for us, and His presence with us.
On
your outing, make a point to be kind, and polite, and have a conversation with those
you encounter (i.e. if you are at an ice rink skating, be pleasant and positive
with those who may be working and/or volunteering at the location). Wish them a
Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year, and ask them about their day. Kindness can
make a world of difference.
Day 4 - December 28 (Prayers for the Children Day):
Throughout history, sadly children have often been
seen as expendable. Jesus taught us there was great value in children, He
blessed them (Mark 10:13-16) and He also shows wisdom in how children welcome
the Kingdom of God. In the time before Jesus’ birth, Herod the king of Judea
ordered the execution of all male children two years old and under in the
vicinity of Bethlehem out of fear of Jesus’ birth. Sadly, children paid the
price of the sins of adults.
So today, we will say a Christmas Prayer for all the
children of the world:
Loving God, who came to us as a child, born in
humble circumstances, who in his ministry welcomed the children to be blessed
and called the adults to orient their minds to welcome God’s kingdom as a child
would, with wonder and excitement. Lord, bless all the little children, let
their disposition to hope, peace, joy, and love be seen as a testament to your
glory. We pray for the children in the world who still suffer at the hands of
sinful adults, and we ask you to be with them. We ask you that this day be a
day of remembering, remembering those children who have suffered, but also remembering
all the joy of being a child, the inner spark of wonder you call upon in all of
us, by the Spirit. Amen.
Here are some ideas on how to celebrate Prayers for
the Children Day:
1)
Say the prayer above and light a
candle in honor of children everywhere.
2)
Plan to stay in and play some
children’s games, board games, and more. Have a silly, fun, and enthusiastic
time. Be open to laughter and play.
3)
Research if there are any ways to
help support local charities or programs designated for children, if not, maybe
consider creating one with your local church or community center.
4)
Ask yourself this question: what do
you think Jesus was like as a child?
Day 5 - December 29 (Animal Day): Jesus
is the King who was not born in a palace, but rather was born stable and laid
in the manger among the animals. In the time of creation, in Genesis Adam and
Eve lived in harmony with nature and animals, meaning animals were companions first, not food or material, they were beautiful creations from the hands of God. The book
of Isaiah predicts that when the world will be made anew, as a peaceable
kingdom after the end times, the lion will lay down with the lamb and the
wolf with the ox. We will once again be in a state of harmony with nature, because
of Jesus restoring creation from its fall to sin, along with humanity.
Here are some ideas to help with Animal Day, and
expand the joy and celebration of Christmas:
1)
With winter coming (at least in the
northern hemisphere) you can create food ornaments for your local wildlife. Try
tying a biodegradable string on a pinecone, rolling the pinecone in honey or
peanut butter, and then rolling the pinecone in birdseed. Hang these decorated
cones on the tree in your yard, or on a tree near a forest to help feed the
local wildlife. Or slice cored apples and slip the apple slices onto bare
limbs of trees for squirrels and other woodland creatures.
Give thanks to God for the beauty of nature, and of course, singing
carols while hanging food ornaments is always great fun.
2)
Have a completely vegetarian or vegan
day for food consumption. This is a great way to try new recipes and get
children involved. See if you can go all day with no consumption of animal
products.
3)
Take a trip to your local animal
shelter, and bring donations of food, treats, and toys. Some shelters will
allow you to spend time with animals, even if you don’t plan on adopting one, a
homeless pet could use some Christmas love too.
Day 6 - December 30 (Caretakers Day): When
thinking back to Jesus’ birth, we sometimes forget the hard work and dedication
that Jesus’ human parents, Mary and Joseph, did assure Jesus’ safe arrival. After
his birth, they would have raised Jesus with care and concern, love, and
kindness. Those who take time to care for us, cultivate us, and teach us are
very valuable to our lives. We should take some time to give thanks and
appreciation to them with some Christmas cheer.
Here are some ideas on how to celebrate caretakers’
day:
1)
Spend some time thinking about Mary
and Joseph’s long journey to Bethlehem, and how they were having to care for
the unborn baby Jesus, while he was still in the womb.
Continue the conversation about caretakers and ask your household about
a positive memory of being cared for by others.
2)
Make thank you cards to hand out to people
who care for you within your community: family members, teachers, pastors,
tutors, babysitters, etc.
3)
For households with children, encourage
the children to make a meal for those who normally prep the meals in the house
(Adult supervision is advised when working with food and kitchens)
Day 7 - December 31 (Resolution Day / New Year’s
Eve): With a new year just around the corner, it is always
wise to think of a goal or resolution. Many people’s goals involve worldly
things: diets, exercise, or career or school goals. These can be great things
to strive for, but our spiritual goals are much more important, so we need to
select a Spiritual New Year’s Resolution. We need to cultivate a spiritual
faith in God’s grace and live according to His will; therefore, spend this day
making plans and goals for the new year, coming up with strategies to help you
achieve your spiritual goals, and working to a fuller capacity in Christ.
Here are some ideas on how to celebrate Resolution
Day:
1)
Reread the story of Christmas in the Bible
or find a video and watch the nativity come to life. Afterward, ask
yourself the question, “what can I do to keep the spirit of Christmas and the
love of Jesus present all year?” – produce a few ideas and select one to be
your Spiritual New Year’s resolution.
a.
Once you have your resolution, spend
time thinking about steps you can take to ensure your goal is met, write down
those steps
b.
Make signs with motivating words to
post around your household to encourage people to maintain their goals - you
can get crafty with your signs of encouragement.
2)
If you have a New Year’s Eve party to
attend that night, ask people if they have a resolution, and share your
spiritual resolution with them, it could spark a wonderful conversation about
faith.
3)
Consider investing in a journal or
diary to help you monitor your spiritual journey for the year, you can make
notes, talk about struggles, and brainstorm ideas. Again, if you are crafty,
you can make your journal or diary stand out by decorating it.
Day 8 - January 1 (Resting Day / New Year’s Day):
If you have been able to find something awesome to do
for each of the days of Christmas so far, plus you had some fun on New Year’s
Eve, you’re probably pretty tired by now. Take today off. Do not do anything
unique. Just enjoy a quiet day, call loved ones and wish them the best for the
new year, and recoup from the days. During creation, God rested on the Sabbath
Day, noting the value of taking a break. We should see the wisdom in this too.
Day 9 - January 2 (Fasting Day): Feasts
and celebrations are wonderful gifts, but not all people have that luxury at
their disposal. There are people all over the world, and local to where we are,
who will go without. Fasting is a wonderful way to spiritually remind ourselves
about the needs of others. Make a commitment to fast on January 2nd.
There are different methods of fasting, so you may want to research something
that will work for your household. (Some people cannot withstand a fast, due to
medical issues, if you are unsure if you can manage a food fast consult a
doctor). People can also fast from things that are not food: people can fast
from entertainment, electronics, easements, and more.
Here are some suggestions for Fasting Day:
1)
Try to spend a day living as old-fashioned as possible. Limit all use of electricity, electronics, and modern
conveniences as possible
a.
Make all food from scratch
b.
Do not use electrical lights but
read, sing carols, and tell stories by candlelight or lanterns.
c.
If health permits a food fast, this
can give rather a challenge to rally together as a household.
2)
Fasting Day is a wonderful day to
volunteer in charitable programs which focuses on feeding the homeless and poor, and see if the local soup kitchen, church program, or food bank needs some extra
help.
3)
Start an in-house garden, which you
can use to grow herbs, veggies, and other edibles, and learn to appreciate
the hard work that goes into to growing food resources.
Day 10 - January 3 (Holy Name of Jesus Day): In
the Bible, it tells us that the Angel which spoke to Mary, spoke Jesus’ ordained
name to Mary while Jesus was still in the womb. This reminds us that God has known you even before you were born. Psalm 139:13, For You created my inmost
being; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. Today we think about
how God cared for us, as He cared for His Son Jesus, forming us in the womb,
and continuing to form us throughout our lives.
Here are some ideas on how you can celebrate the Holy
Name of Jesus:
1)
Ask, what do you think of when you
hear the name Jesus? Make a list of what you know about Jesus Christ and
what God has done for the world through him, what his personality was like, and
how his ministry showed us how to live.
a.
Then think about your name, and how would
people think about you and describe you, make a list of the good things about
you, and the areas you struggle with.
b.
Now ask, if Jesus was coaching you on
how to be your best self, what advice might He give to you to point you in the
right direction?
2)
Have a Bible study with family and
friends and talk about your experience with Jesus, particularly through the
stories of Christmas. Read the Bible and share your thoughts and feelings.
3)
Spend time making craft ornaments for
your Christmas tree, which highlight the name of Jesus, what he did for us, and
how he inspires you. These ornaments could contain scripture readings, pictures
of Jesus or abstract art of the feeling Christmas and Jesus give you.
Day 11 - January 4 (Evangelist Day): One of the best things about Christmas is that people approach the wonder of the Christian faith openly, even though they may not fully understand it. Take an opportunity to reach out to someone outside of the faith and invite them to join you for church, a fellowship meeting, bible study, or Sunday school. If that seems like too big of a jump for the person you're thinking of, try inviting them out for coffee or dinner, and make a deeper connection with them in conversation.
Evangelizing
and welcoming people to a Christian understanding can be challenging. Often, we
feel that we do not want to infringe on others or feel that sharing faith will
make us vulnerable; however, we know that God calls us to share the Gospel with
all people, so we must rise to the occasion and welcome people to the faith.
Here are tips on how to evangelize:
1)
Think of faith as an "interest" or "passion", we
often share our interests with others and people also love to share their
interests with us. Start a conversation about interests with a person outside of the
faith, ask them, what are your interests, what things are important to you?
When it inevitably comes time to share your interests, you can speak about your
faith. See sharing faith as a way to get to know one another better.
2)
Invite people to an event at church,
it does not have to be worship, it could be a social event or a charitable
event. Help them see the wider function of faith in the community.
3)
Ask people big questions. Everyone
wonders about life, good and evil, hope, peace, joy and love, and the purpose
and meaning of life. When you ask that question during the 12 days of
Christmas, you can bridge that conversation into the story of the nativity, and
how God so loved the world.
4) Share with people faith-based Christmas music, movies, and celebrations. Share with them a wider collection of Christmas fun than what is often circulated by secular society. Show them the deeper meaning of Christmas. You can even share how you are trying to celebrate Christmas for 12 entire days straight!
Day 12 - January 5 (Last Day of Christmas): Well,
if you have made an effort to expand your Christmas celebration, I’m sure you
have had a lot of spiritually uplifting experiences and hopefully some fun
along the way. Take today to reflect on the whole of your Christmas experience,
give thanks to God for the ability to celebrate this day each year, and
consider your plans for next year’s celebrations. January 6th is
Epiphany, which means we will celebrate the day when the Magi reached Jesus and
offered their gifts to Him. Around the world, people will often celebrate
Epiphany with feasts, cakes, and a party. Spend today making preparation for
Epiphany celebrations.
Here are some tips for an Epiphany Celebration on
January 6th:
1)
Around the world people will make
King Cakes or Epiphany Desserts. A variety of recipes can be found online and
in Christmas cookbooks.
2)
Some cultures participate in Epiphany
Parades where people will dress up as the Magi. Consider going for a household
walk, invite people to join you, and if you happen to be good at putting
together a costume, have young folk dress up as the Magi bringing gifts to
Jesus
3)
Ask your household, if you were a
wise person, going to see Jesus, the newborn king, what gift would you bring to
Him to show Him honor and praise?
4)
Share in a feast with friends,
family, and community, make vows to share the spirit of Christmas the whole
year round, and work hard to share the Gospel story with all those who will
welcome God’s glory.
Merry 12 Days of Christmas Everyone, a Happy New Year,
and a Glorious Epiphany.
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