Don't push everyone to take down Christmas lights

“On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me …” drummers, dancers, swans and gold rings to start. Countless carolers have performed the song, listing the various gifts. But the significance of those 12 days lies in a journey of wise men toward baby Jesus many carolers forget.

When the world woke on Dec. 26, it's true that Santa Claus was gone for the year but the Christmas season, as celebrated by those remembering the birth of Jesus, was far from over.

“Christmas” for the Roman Catholic Church starts on Christmas Eve, according to Father Diego Berrío of St. Edna's Catholic Church in Arlington Heights.

“Dec. 25 is the beginning of the Christmas season, it's not the end,” Berrío said. “It is the high point, but it's just the beginning.”

Ryan Twaddle, 16, and his Lisle family follow the same calendar. As practicing Lutherans, Twaddle said his family does not plan to take down holiday decorations until Thursday.

“The Christian belief is that it's not over until epiphany because we have 12 days, just like the song,” Twaddle said.

The epiphany marks the arrival of the three kings to baby Jesus and their delivery of three gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh.

The original Christmas date was actually Jan. 6, according to Berrío. Berrío said the Western Church changed it to Dec. 25 but the East still celebrates its major holiday at the epiphany.

Many children throughout the world still get presents on Jan. 6 instead of Dec. 25. It is the three kings who bring them, rather than Santa.

But Berrío said even Jan. 6 isn't the end of the Christmas season for the liturgical year.

Feb. 2 is another feast day in celebration of the presentation of the Lord in the temple by Mary and Joseph. It falls 40 days after Christmas.

So as many begin taking down holiday decorations and storing Christmas CDs and leftover cards, Judy Sigwalt, a Carpentersville trustee, holds on for an extra two weeks along with much of the world.

She said people shouldn't rush her, or the season.

“For some of us, the holiday isn't over,” Sigwalt said. “Others should not be so quick to put our lights out.”

But even when Sigwalt and the Twaddles start boxing up their nativity scenes, the Vatican will still be going strong. Berrío said its decorations will likely be up until February.