While millions of people around the globe celebrate Christmas Day on December 25, there are others who observe the holiday on or around January 7. If that idea sounds foreign to you, don’t feel bad. However, understanding how the Orthodox Church observes Christmas, why they wait until January, and what we can learn from their observance is a wonderful opportunity to draw even more joy from the Christmas season.
Did you know that there is a Christmas celebration in January? For millions of Christians, the observance of Christmas every year on December 25 is the only one. However, 12% of the world’s Christians observe Christmas on January 7th. These Orthodox Christians have celebrated Christmas in January for thousands of years. If you are unfamiliar with this alternative Christmas celebration, understanding how and why your Orthodox brothers and sisters celebrate Christ’s birth in January can be incredibly fulfilling. It also provides us with a great chance to get even more out of the Christmas season. So, what is Orthodox Christmas? Why do Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas in January? Are there any lessons that you can learn from this alternative Christmas celebration? Let’s take some time today to better understand the Orthodox Church’s observance of Christmas.
The History of Two Christmases
The decision for some Christians to celebrate Christmas in January instead of December goes back thousands of years. In fact, many historians say that the decision to observe Christmas in January dates back to the year 325 AD. It was then that a group of Christian bishops gathered to hold the first ecumenical conference. One of the first orders of business was to set a standardized date on which the Church would celebrate its most important holiday, Easter. When determining a date, they opted to use the Julian calendar, a Roman calendar that dated back to 46 B.C.
However, there were some logistical issues with the Julian calendar, which led to it getting more out of sync with each passing year. By 1582, the dates of the Christian holidays had changed so much, there was another conference at which Pope Gregory XIII proposed a new calendar known as the Gregorian calendar.
The Orthodox Church, which had largely split with the general Church in 1054 objected to the change, and opted to continue to observe the Julian calendar. The conflict came to a head in May of 1923 when the two Christmas celebrations were a full 13 days apart. Religious leaders of the day made the decision to designate January 7 as the Orthodox Christmas, while other believers continued to observe the birth of Christ on December 25.
What Happens During Orthodox Christmas?
In the same way that Christians prepare themselves for the celebration of Christ’s birth during the Advent Season leading up to December 25th, Orthodox Christians spend a great deal of time in personal preparation leading up to January 7th. One of the most common ways that Orthodox Christians prepare themselves to celebrate the birth of Christ is through fasting.
Orthodox Christians don’t abstain from all food during the fasting period. Instead, they limit themselves to certain foods. During a traditional Orthodox Christmas fast, foods may include some or all of the following:
Lenten Bread
Nuts
Vegetables
Dried Fruits
Mushroom Soup
Slow-cooked Kidney Beans prepared with Garlic, Potatoes, and Seasoning
Honey
Baked Cod
Bobal’ki
During the period of fasting where food options are limited to those within that list, Orthodox Christians take part in careful self-examination, prayer, and other principles that can help them ensure that they are prepared to truly embrace the power of the Christmas season.
Outside of the fast, there are also some daily celebrations that are part of the Orthodox Christmas celebration. For instance, for many Orthodox Christians, January 6 is designated as a day to celebrate the shepherds, who were among the first to come and visit the manger where Christ was born. In addition to the celebration of Christ’s birth on January 7, many churches also spend some time reflecting on the Magi, or the wise men who also came to visit Christ after His birth.
After an extended period of fasting and dietary restrictions, the Christmas celebration is a large one that is filled with various types of food. Obviously, the foods consumed on Christmas Day vary depending on the country in which the celebration is taking place. There is not a religious restriction on the type of foods to be eaten on Christmas Day.
Finally, there are several symbols that Orthodox Christians utilize in their Christmas celebration. For instance, statues of Saint Nicholas, who is the patron saint of Russia, children, and sailors are used to represent the good, kind, spirit of giving that is such a part of the Christmas celebration. Many people also ensure that they’re using white tablecloths, not only to symbolize purity but also as a way of remembering the swaddling cloths that Christ was wrapped in upon His birth. In some cultures, hay or straw are laid in the middle of the table in order to remember the fact that Christ was born in a barn. Finally, candles are often lit on or around the table to represent the light of Christ that came into the world on the first Christmas night.
What Can We Learn?
There are plenty of lessons that we can learn from the Orthodox Celebration of Christmas, even if you don’t take part in that celebration yourself. First of all, it’s important to note that the day that we celebrate the birth of Christ isn’t meant to be a point of contention. From a purely statistical standpoint, the odds that He was born on December 25 or January 7 is relatively small, and the Bible does not give us an exact date.
The Orthodox Church can teach us the importance of taking the time to truly prepare our hearts for the celebration of Christmas. It’s easy to get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of preparing our homes for guests or making travel plans, while trying to ensure that we’ve bought gifts for everyone on our list that we fail to truly prepare our hearts.
Through fasting, prayer, and a concerted effort to truly prepare our hearts, we can get even more out of the Christmas season. Afterall, the observance of the birth of Christ is one of the most important days on the Christian calendar, whether you observe it in December or January.
A Closing Prayer:
Father, help me to remember that there are people who love and serve You all around the world, even those who don’t take part in the same traditions that I do. Finally, remind me that the importance of celebrating Your Son’s arrival in this world is not mean to be limited to a single day. Thank You for giving us all the gift of Your Only Son. In His name I ask these things, Amen.