Octave? Octavius? I vaguely remember the name Octavius from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar and my piano-playing days too lie in the dust but I know an octave is eight notes (I did pass some music theory exams! Do-ray-me-far-so-lah-ti-do!)
But what exactly are Octave Days?
Let’s break it down. Christmas is too huge to squeeze into a single day. We’re not talking about a birthday party here; we’re celebrating the arrival of God Himself in human form. As the angel told the shepherds, “I bring you good news of great joy” (Luke 2:10). That kind of joy needs more than 24 hours to sink in.
So centuries ago, the Church began the custom of prolonging the celebration of certain major feasts, including Easter and Christmas, across eight days. The feast day itself is the first day of the octave, and the eighth day is called the Octave Day. The term octave can thus refer both to the eighth day alone and to the entire period of eight days taken as a whole.1
We do find octave celebrations in the Old Testament. The Feast of Tabernacles celebrated by the ancient Jews in Leviticus 23:36,
“Seven days you shall present the Lord’s offerings by fire. On the eighth day you shall observe a holy convocation and present the Lord’s offerings by fire; it is a solemn assembly; you shall not work at your occupations.”
The ancient Israelites also celebrated some feasts for eight days, like the dedication of Solomon’s Temple (2 Chronicles 7:8-9).
A time to unwrap your present
The Christmas Octave stretches from December 25 to January 1, a period packed with meaning. Each day is like a unique note in a symphony, reflecting a different facet of God’s gift to humanity.
Think of these eight days as unwrapping layers of meaning behind the Christmas story. Over these days, the Church’s liturgies keep the festive vibe alive. You’ll hear readings that dive deeper into the Nativity narrative and prayers that amplify the joy of Emmanuel—“God with us” (Matthew 1:23).
The Octave has significant pivotal moments. The first day is Christmas itself, the birth of Jesus. On the second day, we remember St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, who reminds us that Christ’s birth also leads to courageous faith. On the fourth day, we remember the Holy Innocents, the children martyred by King Herod (Matthew 2:16-18). By the time we reach January 1, we’re celebrating Mary, the Mother of God, who brought Jesus into the world. She’s the crescendo of this spiritual octave—the one who said “yes” and set the whole symphony into motion.
Thus, the birth of Christ isn’t just good news—it’s a symphony of joy, a Christmas message of peace, hope, and divine love. And who wouldn’t want to stay tuned for that?
So, this Christmas, don’t stop celebrating after December 25.
Shared by Karen R-Fong, a wannabe tai-tai who desires to retire in a library of books and to read with our Lord to her last days.
References:
1 Why Celebrate Octaves?
https://www.simplycatholic.com/why-celebrate-octaves/
Article was with the help of Generative AI.