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The December and January calendars are filled with a multitude of winter holidays. People are celebrating Hanukkah, the Winter Solstice or Yule, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Chinese New Year. Don’t forget about December and January birthdays and anniversaries, work holiday parties, ugly sweater contests, and cozy winter date nights. The Amish also celebrate a holiday on January 6 each year.
In the Amish tradition, January 6 is referred to as Old Christmas. Under the Julian calendar, the birth of Jesus was celebrated on January 6. Pope Gregory XIII changed the calendar to the one used today, the Gregorian calendar, in the late 1500s. The Pope did so to match the calendar closer to the seasonal cycle. In order to do so, he had to remove 11 days from the calendar that year. In doing so, Pope Gregory XIII moved the celebration of Christ’s birthday to December 25. Some groups, like the Amish, have chosen to continue to honor his birthday on January 6.
On Christmas Day, the Amish celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in a similar fashion to many non-Amish families:
Old Christmas is a more solemn and quiet holiday:
There are some notable differences between Amish and non-Amish celebrations of birth of Christ:
Do Any Other Religions Celebrate Old Christmas?
Yes. The holiday on January 6 is known by many different names including Epiphany, Theophany, Three Kings’ Day, and Little Christmas. In some religions, January 6 marks the end of the Twelve Day of Christmas which is when the Magi, or Three Wise Men, arrived in Bethlehem with gifts for the newborn baby. People across the world celebrate the day:
Most holidays are centered on spending time with people you love, be they family or friends. Perhaps the Amish have this all figured out with an extra day set aside for reflection and community. Many groups and religions celebrate January 6 in various ways. In some countries it is observed as a national holiday. Make this the year that you start your own traditions around the old holiday. Cook a special meal together, exchange homemade gifts, or simply schedule quiet time together. If you are feeling especially adventurous, go for a winter swim; we recommend that you have a cozy fireplace and blankets waiting for when you dry off.