Have yourself a Merry "Little Christmas"

On my way home from Mass on St. Stephen's Day, I passed by a supermarket where I could see a clerk hurriedly taking down red and green regalia from some front end tables in order to make room for a liquor display in anticipation of the following week's High Holy Day of Chronolotry. It was an annual reminder that whatever the "holiday" is that the secular world celebrates every year at this time, had once again come to a screeching halt just as Catholics were beginning to celebrate Christmas. Sadly this phenomenon has rubbed off on some younger or poorly formed Catholics (I know; those are often mutually inclusive) who unwittingly deprive themselves of the ongoing merriment of Christmastide because society has conditioned them to do so.
When I was very young, the BVM nuns who taught us would sometimes refer to the Feast of Epiphany as "Little Christmas". It was explained to us that, next to the Nativity itself, this was the most important event surrounding the birth of Christ. While shepherds were the first to pay homage to the newborn King at the invitation of angels, the Magi were the first men to come of their own accord to adore a King of whom they knew nothing about. Prestigious men. Foreign men of knowledge and considerable wealth who travelled a great distance without really knowing what to expect. It was the first sign of humanity being aware that things were about to change. Thus, "Little Christmas" is rightfully the other bookend of the "twelve days" we spend celebrating this season and, in this era perhaps more than any other, it should be given full recognition by the Faithful. Here follows a few ideas I propose to those who’d like to share the joy of the season with those who are ignorant of it.
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