When my husband and I drive around in the days after Christmas and see decorations and Christmas trees in houses still glowing, we quip, “They must be Catholic.” It is a bit like the comment some make when they see a large family, “They must be Catholic.” However, there is a grain of truth to our jest. In our Catholic tradition, the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord is celebrated for eight days straight, with each day having the same significance as the first. This is called the Christmas Octave, and the Church recognizes that the days of the octave repeat the solemness of the feast for eight days.

The General Norms of the Liturgical Calendar explains it this way:

Solemnities are counted as the principal days in the calendar and their observance begins with Evening Prayer I of the preceding day. Some also have their own vigil Mass for use when Mass is celebrated in the evening of the preceding day.

The celebration of Easter and Christmas, the two greatest solemnities, continues for eight days, with each octave governed by its own rules.

Therefore, Christmas truly is more than “just a day,” and the Church urges us to continue our celebrations and rejoicing for the entire octave following the Nativity. And within the Christmas Octave are other notable feasts: St. Stephen (Dec. 26), St. John the Evangelist (December 27), the Holy Innocents (Dec. 28), the Holy Family (Dec. 29), and the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (Jan. 1).

In addition to the feasts that occur during the Christmas Octave, there are two others that occur afterward: Epiphany (Jan. 6 or the nearest Sunday), and the Baptism of the Lord (Jan. 13 or the nearest Sunday).

In his Apostolic Exhortation Marialis Cultus (1974), Pope St. Paul VI writes:

The Christmas Season is a prolonged commemoration of the divine, virginal and salvific Motherhood of her whose ‘inviolate virginity brought the Saviour into the world.’ In fact, on the Solemnity of the Birth of Christ the Church both adores the Saviour and venerates his glorious Mother. On the Epiphany, when she celebrates the universal call to salvation, the Church contemplates the Blessed Virgin, the true Seat of Wisdom and true Mother of the King, who presents to the Wise Men for their adoration the Redeemer of all peoples (cf. Matthew 2:11). On the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (the Sunday within the octave of Christmas) the Church meditates with profound reverence upon the holy life led in the house at Nazareth by Jesus, the Son of God and Son of Man, Mary his Mother, and Joseph the just man (cf. Matthew 1:19).

While the rest of the world is ending celebrations and taking down decorations, Catholics continue celebrating, and with good reason. Christmas is one of the most important days of the Church year and is the culmination of the mystery of the Incarnation — the act of God himself becoming human flesh — for the sake of our salvation.

Make effective use of this Christmas Octave by celebrating each of the feasts included within and all the days in between. Plan something special for each day, even if it is something small and simple. Here are five ideas you might like to try.

1. Read the Scriptures. Take time to read aloud the daily Mass readings on the days of the Octave. They all point to the impact of the Incarnation on mankind. Think about how this impacts you in your life.

2. Keep the Christmas Carols Going. Listen to inspiring Christmas music each day of the Octave. There are countless sacred hymns that commemorate our Lord’s Nativity. A quick search on any podcast format will lead you to them.

3. Feed Your Body and Your Soul. Humans are tactile beings. The appearance, tastes and smells of festive foods can elevate our spirits as well as please our palates. Have a special holiday meal each day of the Octave.

4. Keep the Decorations Up. For the same reason as the above, keeping our Christmas decorations up can keep us in the holiday spirit. They will remind us that we are celebrating an Octave, not just a day. Take time to reread the Christmas cards and messages people have sent to you. With the business of the pre-Christmas season, we seldom have time to relish them.

5. Prayers of Gratitude. Whether during morning or evening prayer, express your gratitude to our Lord for coming to earth and taking on human form. Chat with him about what this has meant for you in your lifetime and what it could mean for you in the afterlife.

Do not let Christmas be a single day of celebration and do not let the magnificence of this Octave pass you by. Even if the rest of the world puts Christmas to rest, keep it alive in your own heart. Dare to be the one about whom others say, “They must be Catholic.”