The annual Christian festival celebrating Christ's birth, held on December 25 in the western church.

Christ·masˈkrisməs/noun

The period immediately before and after December 25

is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ and a widely observed cultural holiday,

celebrated generally on December 25 by billions of people around the world

Christmas or Christmas Day (Old English: Crīstesmæsse, meaning "Christ's Mass")

The Origin of the term “Christmas”

The word Christ stems from the Middle and Old English

word Christ meaning the anointed one, the Lord’s

Anointed.

It is borrowed from the Latin Christus’ and from the Greek Christos also meaning the anointed one. The Greek is a translation of Hebrew mashiach

meaning anointed of the Lord or Messiah. In the word Christmas, the suffix -mas

evolves from the Old English word maesse meaning

festival, feast day or mass.

The Christmas SymbolsHOLLY

In ancient times, holly was considered magical and sacred because

of its shiny leaves and ability to bear fruit in winter. It was often believed that if you hung holly over your bed, you would have good dreams.

CHRISTMAS TREEThe Christmas tree is of German origin. The tree was brought into the home for good luck and fertility. The white pine was chosen as the Christmas tree because it had limbs far apart for easy decorating with sweetmeats, almonds and fruits.

People give fruit baskets as gifts. Cranberry sauce is part of many Christmas meals. At the turn of the last century, good children would receive their only orange of the year as a Christmas gift.

FRUITS

In Christian tradition, the Star of Bethlehem, also called the Christmas Star, revealed the birth of Jesus to the Biblical Magi, and later led them to Bethlehem.

STAR

The star appears only in the nativity story of the gospel of Matthew where magi "from the east" are inspired by the star to travel to Jerusalem. There they meet King Herod of Judea, and ask where the king of the Jews had been born. Herod, following a verse from the Book of Micah interpreted as a prophecy, directs them to Bethlehem, a nearby village. The star leads them to Jesus' house in Bethlehem, where they worship him, and give him gifts. The wise men are then given a divine warning not to return to Herod so they return to their "own country" by a different route.