If so, you may have been led astray by television movie marathons and holiday commercialism!
The Twelve Days of Christmas are actually those days following December 25th. Traditionally, Christmas was celebrated for twelve whole days, leading up to Epiphany (the day the church commemorates the Wise Men's arrival to visit the Christ-child) on January 6th.
Sadly, Christmas - in America - has turned into an entire month of shopping, busyness, decorating, baking, and anticipation... all for just one day! As soon as Boxing Day rolls around, the Christmas music is cut off the radio stations, decor is boxed up once more, and we head into the boring part of the winter season.
It makes me sad! Why don't we have twelve days of celebration? Why not give people a break from work or school for twelve days of family time and relaxation? Certainly, the birth of God Himself in humblest human form is worth more than one day of celebration per year.
Well, I know the real reason we don't celebrate Christmas for twelve days. It's because no one would make any extra money off of it. All the corporations just want everyone to stress out and buy as much as they can in the month leading up to one day of blowout gift-giving and feasting.
I'd rather we feast for twelve days straight. I'd love it! Turkeys, hams, prime rib, duck, goose...
...and the cookies!! THE COOKIES!!!
Anyways... I challenge myself (and you, dear reader) to consider Christmas a twelve day-long festival, rather than a twenty-four hour holiday. Contemplate and worship our wonderful Savior, who "though He was in the form of God, did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men." (Philippians 2:6-7). Compare Philippians 2 and Psalm 8, and be blown away by the awesome power AND complete humility of God. The all-powerful Creator of the entire universe... was born a helpless baby in a barn... to show that He cares for us.
On the other hand... if you prefer the less Jesus-y, more Santa Claus-y side of Christmas... let's live out twelve beautiful days of gratitude, expressing thankfulness and love to our family and friends; as well as giving generously to those around us. Merry Christmas, friends!
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"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:1-11
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