12 Days of Christmas

I did not grow up in a liturgical church; I thought the twelve days of Christmas started on December 13. It was many years later - after I had kids - that I learned that the twelve days of Christmas start on Christmas day, and are the countdown to Epiphany - the celebration of when the wise men visited Jesus. I discovered that the liturgical church has a rhythm to the year involving counting down to certain high holy days. Similar to the Hebrew feasts that are a reminder of God’s plan of redeeming love, the “Church Year” is a way of preparing one’s heart for Jesus. In an attempt to separate from Jewish traditions, the liturgical calendar replaced the Jewish feasts with its own high holy days and days of preparation. I find value in the Jewish feasts because the narrative of creation, deliverance, and re-creation is embedded in them. I find different value in the liturgical calendar as it offers us seasons of anticipation and celebration.

Maybe you've seen the viral posts about how the 12 Days of Christmas is a kind of secret catechism for the church. While that has been debunked numerous times, I still find value in it. Just like the Christmas narrative doesn't have Mary riding a donkey or mention an innkeeper or a stable, it is still a fun way to enlarge the story. Over the next twelve days, I am going to expand on the classic Christmas carol and maybe learn a bit about and deepen my faith. Won't you join me?

Links: Church Calendar Seasons of the Church Year Church History for Kids Jewish Feasts and Christian Calendar