So happy Christmastide

Merry Christmas Found Family!

No matter which version of the song you prefer (or do all you can to avoid), we are now in the midst of the 12 days of Christmas. All those birds, rings, dancers, drummers, and such help us mark the church season of Christmas—officially called Christmastide.

I only just figured out that “Christmastide” is a churchy word for the season of Christmas and not what I’m supposed to use to get stains out of my Christmas sweaters. Who knew??

Further, it has taken me years—years!—to understand how to properly count these twelve days. Do we start on Christmas Eve? Or on Christmas Day? Is Epiphany on the twelfth day? Or is it twelve days then Epiphany? It’s enough to make me say, “I don’t know…third base!”

Regardless, counting down to Epiphany is next week’s problem. For now, let us simply enjoy these days of Christmastide. As our devotional materials remind us, throughout the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany season:


“We light candles, sing carols, and pray for Christ’s arrival because we believe God entered a frightened world to bring good news. We hold onto hope because we believe that Christ did come—that’s the promise of the season. Our hope is not flimsy or fleeting. It’s gritty, resilient, and can endure—no matter what we fear or face. This season, let us insist on hope and trust that good news is greater than fear.”
— A Sanctified Art LLC | sanctifiedart.org