The 12 Days of Christmas / Boxing Day

So, do you think Christmas is over? No, Advent is over. It's now the season of the 12 Days of Christmas. You can think of the song if you want to, and there are interpretations of it floating around on the internet. I gave an interpretation if you click on December 2007.

But we are now building to Epiphany, January 6 - recognizing the coming of the Magi, Middle Easterners following a star, or a sign in the sky - do you know your sky? There was a phenomena in the sky with three planets close together: Jupiter, Venus, and Mars. This is why the Magi traveled.

But Christmas is really all year. Christmas is all about Incarnation. "Be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." This is incarnational living, day-to-day, moment-by-moment, abiding in God. Not cautious, but extravagant living!

December 26 is known as Boxing Day. Does 'Boxing Day' come from the need to rid the house of empty boxes the day after Christmas? In Britain it has always been a day for remembering the people who work for us. Boxes are often left out in places or people carrying them, asking for donations, much like we have the Salvation Army bell ringers at stores. But gifts are given to employees and boxes of food are given to the needy.

Also on December 26 in 1223, Francis Assisi assembled the first live nativity scene in Greccio, Italy.

I'll write more as the days progress . . .