Holiday, Christmas

Christmas is a Christian holiday held on December 25 which celebrates the birth of Jesus. Eastern Orthodox Churches, which use the Julian Calendar to determine feast days, celebrate on January 7 by the Gregorian Calendar. more...

The date is merely traditional and is not thought to be the actual birthdate of Jesus, who was born sometime between 8 BC and 2 BC. Christ's birth, or nativity, was said by his followers to fulfill the prophecies of Judaism that a Messiah would come, from the house of David to redeem the world from sin.

The word Christmas is derived Middle English Christemasse and from Old English Cristes mæsse. It is a contraction of "Christ's mass". The name of the holiday is often shortened to Xmas, probably because X resembles the Greek letter Χ (chi) which has often historically been used as an abbreviation for Christ (Χριστός in Greek).

Christmas has acquired many secular aspects, which are sometimes celebrated as often—or more—than the birth of Jesus. Many Christmas traditions originated with pre-Christian observances that were syncretised into Christianity. Examples of this process are the northern European Yule and the Winter Solstice celebrations found in many cultures.

In Western countries, Christmas has become the most economically significant holiday of the year. It is largely characterized by gifts being exchanged between friends and family members, and the appearance of Santa Claus (also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas and Father Frost). Various local and regional Christmas traditions are still practised, despite the widespread influence of American, British and Australian Christmas motifs disseminated by globalization, popular literature, television, and other media.

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