THE SECOND DAY OF CHRISTMAS...THE FEAST OF ST. STEPHEN, ALSO KNOWN AS, "BOXING DAY".........

For many people Dec. 26 is the day they start to dismantle Christmas, having frontloaded their yuletide celebrations even before ThanksGiving, whereas the official Catholic-Christian celebration of CHRISTMAS begins with Christmas Day and lasts through the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, on the second Sunday of January. Today, the second day of Christmas, is the Feast of St. Stephen, a deacon, who was the first martyr of the Church. The placement of his saint day in the Christmas Season links the shedding of St. Stephen's blood in faithful witness to Jesus the Christ as his Lord and Savior, and the Holy Birth, to the Passion, Death, and Resurrection, of Jesus. The red and white candy canes that are a traditional Christmas treat, also represent the Holy Nativity and the Paschal Mystery. The white stripes denoting purity and holiness; the red stripes the shedding of the Savior's blood; in fulfillment of God's plan for our salvation. In Canada, England, and the dominions of Great Britain, St. Stephen's Day, the second day of Christmas, is observed as, "Boxing Day". Families and friends gather together in continuation of the Christmas, in festiveness and feasting, and is called Boxing Day, because the gathering up and putting away of the boxes in which the Christmas presents they had exchanged were gifted, lends the day its title. So as you clear the clutter of boxes and wrappings, think of the sacrifice of Jesus and the faithful witness of St. Stephen, that Christmas sets in motion. And as you continue to celebrate Christmas may the joy and peace the Holy Birth brings envelop you ever closer. Happy Christmas, Day 2...In The Glory Of The Newborn King, Fr. Troy