▁often ▁presented ▁as ▁a ▁whole ▁or ▁split ▁into ▁two ▁equal ▁parts . ▁The ▁total ▁running ▁time ▁for ▁the ▁entire ▁work ▁is ▁nearly ▁three ▁hours . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁part ▁( for ▁Christmas ▁Day ) ▁describes ▁the ▁B irth ▁of ▁Jesus , ▁the ▁second ▁( for ▁December ▁ 2 6 ) ▁the ▁ann unci ation ▁to ▁the ▁she ph erd s , ▁the ▁third ▁( for ▁December ▁ 2 7 ) ▁the ▁ad oration ▁of ▁the ▁she ph erd s , ▁the ▁fourth ▁( for ▁New ▁Year ' s ▁Day ) ▁the ▁circum c ision ▁and ▁naming ▁of ▁Jesus , ▁the ▁fifth ▁( for ▁the ▁first ▁Sunday ▁after ▁New ▁Year ) ▁the ▁journey ▁of ▁the ▁Mag i , ▁and ▁the ▁sixth ▁( for ▁E pi ph any ) ▁the ▁ad oration ▁of ▁the ▁Mag i . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁lit urg ical ▁calendar ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁re formation ▁era ▁in ▁Sax ony , ▁the ▁Christmas ▁season ▁started ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁December ▁( Christ mas ▁Day ) ▁and ▁ended ▁on ▁ 6   J anu ary ▁( E pi ph any ). ▁It ▁was ▁preced ed ▁by ▁Advent , ▁and ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁period ▁of ▁the ▁Sund ays ▁after ▁E pi ph any . ▁It ▁included ▁at ▁least ▁three ▁fe ast ▁days ▁that ▁called ▁for ▁fest ive ▁music ▁during ▁religious ▁services : ▁apart ▁from ▁Christmas ▁( N ativity ▁of ▁Christ ) ▁and ▁E pi ph any ▁( Vis it ▁of ▁the ▁Mag i ) ▁the ▁period ▁also ▁included ▁New ▁Year ' s