Please, don't tell me it's out at the curb waiting for the trash pickup!One of the great things about being a Catholic (in addition to the Catholic Church being the one, true faith expressing the fullness of the truth from God Himself) is that, after the seasons of waiting and sacrifice, there is ALWAYS an extended season of celebration. (Somebody please inform Pope Francis.) We have about four weeks of Advent, then the twelve days of Christmas until the Epiphany and then another week until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.
But some keep the tradition of leaving their decorations up until Candlemas day, the Feast of the Presentation, on February 2nd when Mary and Joseph took the Christ child to the temple in accordance with the law.An article at Catholic Culture makes a distinction between the Christmas season and the Christmas cycle, saying that the Vatican takes down all their decorations after the Baptism of the Lord except the nativity scene which remains until February 2nd.
For some of us, even that isn't long enough. I've been known to keep my decorations up until St. Valentine's Day and one year, when I was especially reluctant to end the festivities, I took them down the day before Ash Wednesday.
Perhaps it has more to do with the lights than the decorations. I'm not fond of the darkness of winter. Maybe I have that light deprivation disorder, whatever it's called, and want the extra twinkle in my life. At any rate, I can never understand those who are hasty to shake the dust of Christmas off their feet and move on to the next secular celebration.
Throw out the Christmas tree on December 26th and bring on the hearts and Cupids.
Not me. I'll be sitting in the family room with a cup of something warm enjoying the "festival of lights" and praising Jesus as the Light of the World. Won't you join me?
