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Christmas reading path

12 Days of Christmas readings 2026–27: from Christmas to Epiphany

Christmas is a season, not only a day. Many Western churches count twelve days of Christmas, from December 25 to Twelfth Night on January 5, before Epiphany on January 6 remembers the wise men; the Catholic Christmas season continues until the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. This path follows the Advent readings: it begins on December 26 and ends on Epiphany.

Each day opens one short King James Version reading with a reflection, a prayer, and one practical step: the Word made flesh, St Stephen and St John, the Holy Innocents, the Holy Family's return to Nazareth, Simeon and Anna in the temple, the naming of Jesus, and the wise men. Feast days are labelled by tradition; Orthodox churches that follow the older Julian calendar keep their fixed feasts 13 days later on the civil calendar.

December 26 · St Stephen

  1. The first martyrActs 7:55–60December 26 is St Stephen's Day in Western churches; Eastern Orthodox churches remember him on December 27.

December 27 · St John

  1. We beheld his gloryJohn 1:14–18John's Gospel tells Christmas without a manger: 'the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us', 'full of grace and truth.'

December 28 · The Holy Innocents

  1. Rachel weepingMatthew 2:13–18Joseph flees with Mary and the child by night, and Herod has the young children of Bethlehem killed; Matthew does not hide the grief: 'Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted.'

December 29 · The Holy Family

  1. Home to NazarethMatthew 2:19–23After Herod's death Joseph again obeys a dream and brings his family back, and they settle in 'a city called Nazareth.'

December 30 · Simeon

  1. Depart in peaceLuke 2:25–32Mary and Joseph bring the infant Jesus to the temple, an event many churches keep as the Presentation of the Lord on February 2, forty days after Christmas.

December 31 · Anna

  1. She spake of himLuke 2:36–40Anna, 'a widow of about fourscore and four years', has served God in the temple 'with fastings and prayers night and day.'

January 1 · The Name of Jesus

  1. His name was called JesusLuke 2:15–21The shepherds hurry to Bethlehem and spread the news, while 'Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.'

January 2 · The name above every name

  1. The name above every namePhilippians 2:9–11Paul's hymn ends where Christmas leads: the one who humbled himself is given 'a name which is above every name', and every tongue will 'confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.'

January 3 · The Word and the light

  1. The light shineth in darknessJohn 1:1–5John begins before Bethlehem, before creation: 'In the beginning was the Word', and through him all things were made.

January 4 · The wise men

  1. Where is he?Matthew 2:1–6Wise men from the east come to Jerusalem asking, 'Where is he that is born King of the Jews?'

January 5 · Twelfth Night

  1. Arise, shineIsaiah 60:1–6Isaiah calls a people in darkness to 'Arise, shine; for thy light is come', and sees nations and kings coming to that light, bringing 'gold and incense.'

January 6 · Epiphany

  1. Exceeding great joyMatthew 2:7–12When the star stops over the place, the wise men 'rejoiced with exceeding great joy', worshipped the child, and offered 'gold, and frankincense and myrrh.'