Christmas season, Christmas lights

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Basic question: when does the Christmas season officially end? I’ve always thought it was on the Epiphany, but at Mass this evening they said that the season runs through the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord next week. However, if I’m not mistaken, the week after that is the SECOND Sunday in Ordinary Time. What’s up with that?

Also, I’m taking an informal poll–when do you stop turning on your Christmas lights? Merry Christmas everyone.
 
Plasnick said:
Basic question: when does the Christmas season officially end? I’ve always thought it was on the Epiphany, but at Mass this evening they said that the season runs through the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord next week. However, if I’m not mistaken, the week after that is the SECOND Sunday in Ordinary Time. What’s up with that?

Also, I’m taking an informal poll–when do you stop turning on your Christmas lights? Merry Christmas everyone.
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My family and I take our secular Christmas decorations down on New Year’s Day; at times it has been earlier than that. However, we are leaving our Nativity (as well as my tiny trinket Nativity set) out until January 6th, based upon my own suggestion we do so. I, too, had thought the season ended on the 6th, rather than the following Sunday.
 
Plasnick said:
Also, I’m taking an informal poll–when do you stop turning on your Christmas lights? Merry Christmas everyone.
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We usually take our Christmas lights and decorations down on January 6. This year, however, our outside decorations are buried in snow. I’ll shut off the power to the outside outlets so they don’t get turned on accidentally, but it will probably be Easter before we actually take them down.
 
Our decorations and lights get taken down whenever my Spousal Unit gets around to taking them down.
 
Plasnick said:
Basic question: when does the Christmas season officially end?
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January 13th, Baptism of the Lord.

Ordinary Time begins on Monday, January 14.
Plasnick said:
However, if I’m not mistaken, the week after that is the SECOND Sunday in Ordinary Time. What’s up with that?
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Correct. Sunday the 20th is the second Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, because of its level/ranking, supercedes the first Sunday in Ordinary Time. The next week is reckoned as the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time because it is in the second week of Ordinary Time. It is all about how the liturgical calendar works.
 
I generally leave the outside decorations up (wreath, potted poinsettias, window candles) through New Year’s Day, but leave my two indoor Nativity sets up until the Epiphany.
 
Plasnick said:
Basic question: when does the Christmas season officially end? I’ve always thought it was on the Epiphany, but at Mass this evening they said that the season runs through the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord next week. However, if I’m not mistaken, the week after that is the SECOND Sunday in Ordinary Time. What’s up with that?

Also, I’m taking an informal poll–when do you stop turning on your Christmas lights? Merry Christmas everyone.
Click to expand...
In the Polish tradition, Christmas decorations are left up until Candlemas (The Feast of the Presentation) on February 2.
 
1ke said:
January 13th, Baptism of the Lord.

Ordinary Time begins on Monday, January 14.
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Interesting; all I have ever heard was that Christmastime ends on Epiphany - perhaps I should leave our Nativity sets up until next Sunday!
 
Our parish is leaving up the decorations until Candlemas (Febr. 2!) this year in union with the Vatican who is also leaving everything in place until then. It was announced on the last Sunday in Advent at our church.

I am taking down the lights outside after Epiphany, but leaving the religious reminders of Christmas inside up until Candlemas. 😉
 
Immacolata said:
Interesting; all I have ever heard was that Christmastime ends on Epiphany - perhaps I should leave our Nativity sets up until next Sunday!
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Christmas does not end on Epiphany. The last weekday of Christmas, this year, is January 12.
 
1ke said:
Christmas does not end on Epiphany. The last weekday of Christmas, this year, is January 12.
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I know of that now; thank you for informing me. I will keep our Nativity sets up until January 14th.
 
Growing up in New Orleans, decorations were taken down on Jan 6th. That is also the day we’d have our first King Cake of the Carnival season.
 
We leave the nativity out until feb 2. This year the tree comes down sometime next week.
 
Plasnick said:
Basic question: when does the Christmas season officially end? I’ve always thought it was on the Epiphany, but at Mass this evening they said that the season runs through the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord next week. However, if I’m not mistaken, the week after that is the SECOND Sunday in Ordinary Time. What’s up with that?

Also, I’m taking an informal poll–when do you stop turning on your Christmas lights? Merry Christmas everyone.
Click to expand...
You all have reminded me to go turn on my Christmas star. (It’s not on a timer like my other lights so it doesn’t always get turned on.) I want my star lit for Epiphany!
 
Wow - and then Ash Wednesday is February 13th this year. That’s quite a squeeze on the seasons!
 
HouseArrest said:
Wow - and then Ash Wednesday is February 13th this year. That’s quite a squeeze on the seasons!
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Although not necessarily on the topic of the Christmas season, I am heartily anticipating the Lenten season this year; it will be my first season where I am fully committing to participating in a Catholic Lent since I have gotten into my religion this past July.
 
jkarp said:
In the Polish tradition, Christmas decorations are left up until Candlemas (The Feast of the Presentation) on February 2.
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👍

I approve!

As for us, I’ll start tearing it down tomorrow. It will take me a week to get it all put away anyway.
 
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