The Last Day of the Christmas Octave

 

If you've ever heard St. Mark's pastor Msgr. Brian Brownsey preach at Christmas time, you know that he doesn't stop celebrating early. If someone asks him on December 27 how his Christmas was, he responds, "I'm having a wonderful Christmas." The octave of Christmas goes until January 1. 

As today is January 1, I will post some photos I've taken over the past several days. The church photos are of St. Mark's, which I think looks especially stunning at Christmas.

Even after Christmas ends, the Christmas season goes until the Baptism of the Lord, which is on January 10 this year.

Last Sunday was the Feast of the Holy Family, all part of Christmas.


The day after tomorrow we will celebrate Epiphany when the Wise Men visited Jesus. Above is the window in St. Mark's depicting the scene.

The Wise Men followed a star to find the newborn king.

In the olden days, the Christmas season used to stretch until February 2, Candlemas, when the Presentation of the Baby Jesus in the Temple is celebrated.


At St. Mark's, we keep some of the Christmas decorations up until February 2.


I like our tradition of keeping the decorations up longer. Besides recognizing the importance of the Presentation, the lights and decorations are a mood brightener in the dark, cold month of January.



We keep up our decorations at home also.


My brother Fr. Jim and a priest friend of his made this crib for me and gave it to me along with the figures for Christmas one year, sometime in the mid 1990's. The floor of the crib is made from a cupboard door that was in the family room in our childhood home. 

This Nativity was my maternal grandparents.

My friend Noreen gave me this beautiful Nativity snow globe this Christmas.

My friend Lorena made me this amazing star from folded book art. The book she used was titled, "Come Let Us Adore Him."


There are gorgeous sunsets in the winter too.

Merry Christmas! With hugs from us to you! Love, John-Maria-Luke

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