The days and weeks following Christmas are meant for much more than turkey leftovers. Throughout the ages churches have designated particular days to remember important Christian stories – and to celebrate – and the period following Christmas is particularly full of them.
Whether you are familiar with "feasts" and "saints days" will depend what church tradition you are from. Catholic, Lutheran, Orthodox and parts of the Anglican church all have a set liturgical year with particular Christians or particular events in the life of Christ celebrated on each day.
This practice of feast days started in the very early church to remember the anniversary of the death of believers who were killed for their faith, which was considered the date of their birth into heaven. It spread to other admired and noteworthy Christians by around the third Century, and many different traditions began to be associated with the days.
St Stephen's Day on 26 December
As the practice of celebrating "feasts" is associated with those killed for their faith, it seems appropriate that the day after the birth of Jesus is the day to remember the first recorded martyr for Christ, St Stephen, whose work and fate is the focus of Acts chapters 6 and 7. Scripture describes him as a man "full of faith and the Holy Spirit" (NLT) and how he was chosen to run a church program for the poor.
But it is the circumstances of his death that are most remembered, especially on Boxing Day. He was working miracles and evangelising, which made enemies who couldn't counter "the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke." They made allegations of blasphemy to religious leaders. But Stephen spoke boldly to them – his long speech recorded carefully in chapter 7 – and told of a powerful vision of Jesus. He was stoned to death, so early in the church's history that St Paul was watching, before he had converted himself.
There are many different traditions around the world held on this day: one widespread activity is visiting the homes of neighbours, house to house.
St John the Apostle on 27 December
Less well known is the feast for John the apostle that's held on the 27th of the month in Anglican, Catholic and Lutheran churches. The choice to remember this particular disciple just after Christmas, even though he does not describe the birth of Christ in his gospel, may have been due to the focus on Christ's divinity in his writings, and possibly his significant influence on the early church, being the last surviving of the apostles according to tradition.
The Holy Innocents (Childermas) on 28 December
The murder of young children by King Herod is an important part of the Christmas story, if the most gruesome and sad. This terrible deed was inspired by fear and jealousy of the powerful towards the prophesied new rule of the newborn Christ. In modern times it is often a day that Christians particularly remember the children lost through abortion. In Ibi in Alicante, Spain, a less obviously connected tradition has remained: the festival of Els Enfarinats, involving military re-enactments, music and a public flour fight.
St Thomas Becket and St Sylvester
Before the new year a number of early Christian leaders are remembered, not for their associations with Christmas, but the dates of their deaths. Both the Anglican and the Catholic churches remember St Thomas Becket, the medieval politician who became Archbishop of Canterbury, argued with Henry II, and was murdered by the King's supporters on the 29th in the 12th Century. St Sylvester was a fourth Century church leader of the church who was interred on the 31st, and is the reason some countries call New Year's Eve Silvester.
Twelfth night
This is usually considered to be the evening of the 5th January, but sometimes the 6th, depending how the twelve days from Christmas are counted. The night before epiphany, twelfth night has traditionally been celebrated with cake and carols. Unlike today, the latter were more popular in the days following Christmas than before. The eponymous Shakespeare play is said to have been intended for the festivities that were held on this evening.
Epiphany of the Lord
What exactly this feast means varies between denominations and throughout history. Usually it focuses on the visit of the three wise men to the baby Jesus, which is particularly significant as they were gentiles from other lands. It is also considered by many churches to be the official end of Christmas celebrations. However the Epiphany can also refer to Jesus's first miracle at the wedding in Cana, or his baptism, the link being the manifestation of Christ to the world.
There are varying dates, but it's often January 6th, the day after twelfth night, although churches that celebrate the day formally often move it to a nearby Sunday. There are records of its celebration going back to the third Century church, as the periods of Advent and Christmas celebrations until the Epiphany instituted by the Council of Tours in 567AD. Today, there are a variety of traditions associated with the day, such as giving gifts, celebrating women and giving them a day off, and musical performance.
Candlemas
Not usually understood as a Christmas feast in modern times, but still of Jesus's childhood, this traditional celebration was to remember the presentation of Jesus at the Temple that is recorded in Luke chapter 2 along with these powerful words of Simeon to Mary: "This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul." (NLT)
Candlemas is celebrated on the 2nd February, 40 days after Christmas Day, because that is how long Jewish parents like Mary and Joseph waited to take part in this ritual.
The unusual name refers to a tradition of carrying beeswax candles before the altar to celebrate in church. In some periods of history and cultures, such as Tudor England, the day was the official end of the Christmas period, when the decorations would be taken down.
Heather Tomlinson is a freelance Christian writer. Find more of her work at https://heathertomlinson.substack.com/ or via X (twitter) @heathertomli
