I heard of something called the Octave of Christmas. What does that mean? Pierre

Pierre,

     Simply put, the Octave of Christmas is a way of continuing the celebration of Christmas so that we can better understand the Incarnation of Jesus. 
     Unpacking what that means will take a little more time.  Here's how I understand it:  Sometimes an event is so significant that it is impossible to take that event in all at one time.  An example might be visiting the Grand Canyon, or the Basilica of St. Peter - or even reading the Bible.  There is so much to take in, that it is virtually impossible to comprehend it all in one viewing, or in one visit.   So, we return to it - again and again in order to soak in all that it has to offer.   That's the way it is with the mystery of the Incarnation (God becoming Man).  It's so huge that we need more time to ponder the mysterious ways of God in all that this entails.
     At one time there were as many as 15 'octaves' on the Catholic Liturgical Calendar.   However, in 1969, all were removed except for Christmas and Easter.  The Octave of Christmas starts on Christmas Day and extends for seven more days through January 1st.  That makes eight days - and the word octave means eight.  Each one of the days reflects back on the Nativity and the impact of that Birth.The liturgies on those days honor someone who loved Jesus without question.  
Dec 25th is the Nativity itself.
Dec 26th remembers St. Stephen who was the first martyr who died because he believed that Christ, whom we celebrate on the Nativity, was truly God.
Dec 27th is St. John the Evangelist who was the only Apostle at the Crucifixion.
Dec 28th is dedicated to the Holy Innocents.  Those are the baby boys under the age of two who were killed by King Herod because he was afraid that the new 'King' whom the Jews were awaiting, and was sought by the Magi, was among them.   
This year (2014) the feast of the Holy Family is celebrated on the 28th the because this Feast is to fall on the first Sunday after Christmas and it pre-empts all the other feasts celebrated during the octave - except the solemnity of the Blessed Mother.  When Her Solemnity falls on that 1st Sunday after Christmas, then the feast of the Holy Family is moved to the 30th of December.
Dec 29th is St. Thomas Becket.  He was Martyred because he defended the Church from being taken over and run by King Henry II.
Dec 30th Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.  We are to emulate their love and faith in God.  Because we celebrate this day on the 28th this year, the 30th will just be called the 6th day in the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord.
Dec 31st the life of Saint Pope Sylvester I.  He supported the Council of Nicea in 325AD where the Church proclaimed Jesus and both human and divine, and as consubstantial (of the same substance) with God the Father. 
Jan 1st ends the Octave with the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.  The Gospel reading of the day focuses on her obedience to the law and the circumcision and naming of Jesus on the 8th day after His birth.  It is a Holy Day of Obligation on which we honor Mary's role in salvation history. 

Hope this helps!
(from Our Sunday Visitor (OSV) December 28, 2014  "The Christmas octave:  Continuing the celebration."  D.D. Emmons.  P6 & 7)

A resolution-ary thought for 2015!!

Last year the Pittsburgh Catholic ran an excellent article about resolutions for the New Year.  I didn’t read it until a week or so after it ran, and I felt that it was too late then to share.  However, it was so good that I clipped it out and kept it to share for this year.  Its words must be something someone who is reading this is supposed to hear because I actually found the article!  I didn’t lose it; I remembered that I wanted to share it with you; and the week that I remembered it is the week for our New Year’s bulletin ie:  the timing is PERFECT!

Isn’t that just how God works?!!

Here it is: 

     "A new year always brings the opportunity for a fresh start.  Resolutions can be a tricky thing because they force us to consider altering long-held behavior patterns, and then make an affirmative choice for the change in behavior when the situation presents itself.  Take TV watching.  It could be ripe for a change in behavior because Americans have the TV on so much every day.  That allows for many chances to make those affirmative choices, instead of surrendering to the status quo.
     "Here are a few suggestions on making more affirmative choices in your television diet.  First, watch less TV.  When NBS coined the phrase ‘must –see TV’ to describe its powerhouse Thursday prime-time lineup of a generation ago, it didn’t meant that all of us must see TV regardless of what’s on!  Instead, think of the term ‘appointment television.’  Just as you would with meals, put some advance thought about what it is you want to watch before you turn on the TV.  Don’t be content with just watching the next show that comes on, and the show after that, and so on.
         "(Second)If you watch TV, then resolve to watch TV.  Avoid multitasking with the tube on.  If you’re going to presumably view the collective effort of hundreds of people working on both sides of the camera, you don’t really want to be playing solitaire on your smartphone, do you?  That lessens he experience for you, and shortchanges the people on the creative end.
       "(Third)  If you have children in your home, don’t let them watch TV unattended.  Watch with them.  Make TV watching a reward, rather than a diversion that allows t you to do ‘more important things.’  In truth, time spent helping form children’s attitudes and consciences is the best time spent of all.
       "Finally, be a critique of TV.  That’s different from being a criticizer.  While there is much about television to criticize, you have to develop the abilitiy to think critically about what you’ve viewed, and judge whether you as a viewer are being manipulated in ways you like or don’t like, ranging from the latest e[isode of a hit series to the local news.  With as many channels as there are today, you can certainly shop the television-programming marketplace to find shows that better appeal to your values and sensibilities, if you take the time to seek them out."
(‘Resolve to be a better television watcher’ by Mark Pattison, Catholic News Service.  Pittsburgh Catholic, Friday, January 10, 2014, p 7)

I couldn't have expressed it better myself!  Happy 2015!!