In centuries past, Advent season began with Martinmas (the feast of St. Martin on November 11). Advent was "the little Lent" that prepared the faithful for the celebration of Christmas (Christ's Mass).
Christmas was in turn followed by Childermas (the Mass of the Holy Innocents) and continued until Candlemas (the Mass of Blessed Candles), also known as the Feast of the Presentation. In ancient times, great celebration centered not around Christmas, but around the Feast of the Epiphany. Indeed, in the eastern churches, the Mass of the Nativity was celebrated on the Feast of the Epiphany, for the earliest Christians said it was only fitting to celebrate God's revelation of His Son to the pagan Magi on the same day that His Son leapt out of the inner sanctuary of Mary's womb into the larger world itself.
Today, apart from Christmas, most of the "-mas" days have been forgotten. But there is one laudable custom which should be retained. As the song notes, there has long been a tradition of small gift-giving during the first twelve days of the Christmas season, the period between Christmas and Epiphany, Dec 25 and Jan 6.
Today is ChilderMas - a day to celebrate our children and honor the gift that God gave us in our children. God Bless you all!
J
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