Just when I thought Christmas was all done and dusted for me, I realise; Wait!!!…my extended family are celebrating on Thursday!

Woohoo!!! I get to stretch out the holiday even more

You see it is the Orthodox Christmas this week and my niece’s fiancee, ND, is Russian Orthodox. My niece, SC, was baptised into the church a few months ago so it is very exciting for her to be experiencing her first Christmas in her new church.

Anyhoo, I wanted to better understand Christmas in the Russian Orthodox church and found out some fascinating facts…

The reason Christmas is celebrated on January 7th is that the Orthodox churches don’t use the Gregorian calendar. They work on the Julian calendar put in place by Julius Caesar. Who knew???  Though in the Julian calendar the date is still December 25th, on the Gregorian calendar it is January 7th – fascinating, right

Tinerate, another difference is that the Orthodox observance of Christmas is a time of fasting and performing deeds of charity. And my last little nugget: the Russian Orthodox Christmas is spread over three days starting on Christmas Eve and encompasses various fasts and church services.

Gosh, I wonder if that means three different tables! I’d be in complete meltdown

Till next time,

Tipsy Pipsy xo