How long is it acceptable to say ‘Merry Christmas’?

Kelsey Dallas
·2 min read
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Faithful gather as they wait to listen to Pope Francis delivering the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for “to the city and to the world”) Christmas day blessing from the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, Monday, Dec. 25, 2023.
Faithful gather as they wait to listen to Pope Francis delivering the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for “to the city and to the world”) Christmas day blessing from the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. | Gregorio Borgia, Associated Press

Christmas Day 2023 is in the rearview mirror, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop saying “Merry Christmas.”

In many Christian denominations, the Christmas season lasts until early January, meaning that members continue making merry for at least a week.

However, different Christian groups don’t always agree on an end date for what’s called “Christmastide.” So don’t be surprised if you’re met with confused looks if you keep saying “Merry Christmas” once it’s 2024.

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When are the 12 days of Christmas?

Christmas is most commonly celebrated as a single day, Dec. 25.

But in several Christian traditions, Christmas is not only a day, but also a season, which begins on Dec. 25.

You might be familiar with this concept if you’ve sung — or at least listened to — the song, “The 12 Days of Christmas.”

The song refers to the days between Dec. 25 and Jan. 6, which is known as Epiphany or Three Kings’ Day and commemorates the Bible story of the wise men’s visit to baby Jesus, according to Vox.

“Some families choose to mark the 12-day period by observing the feast days of various saints (including St. Stephen on Dec. 26) and planning daily Christmas-related activities, but for many, things go back to business as usual after Dec. 25,” Vox reported.

How long does Christmas last?

If you find the concept of a Christmas season confusing, buckle up, because it’s even more complicated than it already seems, at least in the Catholic Church in the United States.

That’s because the U.S. Catholic Church celebrates Epiphany on the second Sunday after Christmas, not on Jan. 6, according to Catholic New Agency.

For that reason, the length of the Christmas season changes slightly each year. This year, it spans from Dec. 25, 2023, to Jan. 8, 2024.

“During this season, we celebrate the birth of Christ into our world and into our hearts and reflect on the gift of salvation that is born with him, including the fact that he was born to die for us,” the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops says.