How Long Does Christmas Last?

IgnatiusOfAntioch

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Epiphany is the climax of the Advent/Christmas Season and the Twelve Days of Christmas, which are usually counted from the evening of December 25th until the morning of January 6th, which is the Twelfth Day. In following this older custom of counting the days beginning at sundown, the evening of January 5th is the Twelfth Night. In western Christian tradition, January 6 is celebrated as Epiphany. It goes by other names in various church traditions. In Hispanic and Latin culture, as well as some places in Europe, it is known as Three Kings’ Day (Span: el Dia de los Tres Reyes, la Fiesta de Reyes, or el Dia de los Reyes Magos; Dutch: Driekoningendag). Because of differences in church calendars, mainly between the Eastern Orthodox and the western Catholic and Protestant traditions, both Christmas and Epiphany have been observed at different times in the past. Today, most of the Eastern Orthodox traditions follow the western church calendar.

So, the Christmas Season begins with Christmas and runs until the Epiphany, 12 days.
 
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Via Cassian

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Epiphany is the climax of the Advent/Christmas Season and the Twelve Days of Christmas, which are usually counted from the evening of December 25th until the morning of January 6th, which is the Twelfth Day. In following this older custom of counting the days beginning at sundown, the evening of January 5th is the Twelfth Night. In western Christian tradition, January 6 is celebrated as Epiphany. It goes by other names in various church traditions. In Hispanic and Latin culture, as well as some places in Europe, it is known as Three Kings’ Day (Span: el Dia de los Tres Reyes, la Fiesta de Reyes, or el Dia de los Reyes Magos; Dutch: Driekoningendag). Because of differences in church calendars, mainly between the Eastern Orthodox and the western Catholic and Protestant traditions, both Christmas and Epiphany have been observed at different times in the past. Today, most of the Eastern Orthodox traditions follow the western church calendar.

So, the Christmas Season begins with Christmas and runs until the Epiphany, 12 days.

Are you saying that on the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar for the USA that the Christmas season ends on Epiphany, Jan. 6? If so, please help me understand the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops web site showing the Christmas season ending (it seems to me) at the Baptism of the Lord on Jan. 10, a week after Epiphany and please give a link to the source for Christmas season ends Jan. 6.

More importantly, how would I be able to read that USCCB site and properly understand that the Christmas season ends Jan. 6. And why doesn’t the USCCB make all this clear for newbie Catholics like me who don’t know?

Based on the links in my earlier post, I was fairly sure that the USA Christmas season ends with vespers on Sunday Jan 10. See those links.
But I think the Jan 6 end was what applied in the past but I was not able to find a good reference — and you may know! And you might be able to tell me how I should interpret the USCCB web site and the two links in my earlier post. Thank you very much for helping on these questions.
 
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