Christmas
The English word Christmas is a shortened form of Christ's Mass, first recorded in 1038 and again in 1131. This term derives from Middle English, combining the Greek word for Christ with the Latin word for celebration of the Eucharist. Other names emerged over time, including Christenmas, which is now considered archaic, and Xmas, an abbreviation based on the initial letter chi in the Greek word. The Anglo-Saxons referred to Christmas as Midwinter, while the period corresponding to December and January was called Yule. In Old English, Nativity served as a rare name for Christmas Day. Noel entered English in the late 14th century from Old French, meaning birth day. During the late Qing dynasty, the Shanghai News initially called Christmas Jesus' birthday before settling on Foreign Winter Solstice in 1882. Koleda remains the traditional Slavic name for Christmas and the period extending to Epiphany.
In the early fourth century, church records indicate that Christians were remembering and celebrating the birth of the Lord without agreeing upon a set date. By the end of the fourth century, John Chrysostom, Augustine of Hippo, and Jerome attested to December 25 as the date of Christmas. The earliest document placing Jesus's birthday on December 25 is the Chronograph of 354, also known as the Calendar of Filocalus. This manuscript reads that Christ was born in Bethlehem on VIII kal. Ian., consistent with Rome in AD 336. Pope Julius I, bishop of Rome from 337 to 352, formally set the date. In the East, the birth of Jesus was celebrated in connection with Epiphany on January 6. King Richard II of England hosted a Christmas feast in 1377 at which 28 oxen and 300 sheep were eaten. Caroling became popular among groups composed of a lead singer and a ring of dancers providing the chorus. Writers condemned caroling as lewd, indicating that unruly traditions of Saturnalia and Yule may have continued. Misrule involving drunkenness, promiscuity, and gambling formed an important aspect of the festival.
In 1843, Charles Dickens wrote the novel A Christmas Carol, which helped revive the spirit of Christmas and seasonal merriment. Its instant popularity played a major role in portraying Christmas as a holiday emphasizing family, goodwill, and compassion. The phrase Merry Christmas was popularized following the appearance of this story. In Britain, the Christmas tree was introduced in the early 19th century by Queen Charlotte. By 1841, after her marriage to Prince Albert, the custom became more widespread throughout Britain. An image of the British royal family with their Christmas tree at Windsor Castle created a sensation when published in the Illustrated London News in 1848. In America, interest in Christmas had been revived in the 1820s by Washington Irving's short stories. On the 28th of June 1870, Christmas was formally declared a United States federal holiday. Louis Prang introduced the Christmas card to Americans in 1875, earning him the title father of the American Christmas card. Clement Clarke Moore wrote the poem A Visit From St. Nicholas in 1822, transferring Dutch traditions celebrated at New Year to Christmas.
Christmas Day is celebrated as a major festival and public holiday in countries around the world, including many whose populations are mostly non-Christian. Countries such as Japan have adopted many cultural aspects like gift-giving, decorations, and Christmas trees despite having only a small number of Christians. Turkey, being Muslim-majority, sees Christmas trees and decorations lining public streets during the festival. Some jurisdictions of the Eastern Orthodox Church mark feasts using the older Julian calendar, where December 25 corresponds to January 7 on the Gregorian calendar. Following the Council of Constantinople in 1923, other Orthodox Christians began using the Revised Julian calendar, which corresponds exactly to the Gregorian calendar. The Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates the birth of Christ on January 6, same day as Theophany. Since 2022, Ukraine officially moved its Christmas date from January 7 to December 25 to distance itself from the Russian Orthodox Church. In Russia, after seven decades of prohibition under state atheism following the Soviet Union's foundation in 1917, Orthodox Christmas became a state holiday again in 1991 with the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Nativity scenes are known from 10th-century Rome and were popularized by Saint Francis of Assisi from 1223, quickly spreading across Europe. The first commercially produced decorations appeared in Germany in the 1860s, inspired by paper chains made by children. Traditional colors include red symbolizing blood of Jesus, green representing eternal life, and gold signifying royalty. The Christmas tree was first used by German Lutherans in the 16th century, with records indicating placement in Cathedral of Strassburg in 1539. Professor David Albert Jones notes that in the 19th century, it became popular for people to use an angel to top the tree. Since the 16th century, poinsettia has been associated with Christmas carrying Christian symbolism of Star of Bethlehem. Mistletoe features prominently in European myth, customary to hang sprigs in houses where anyone standing underneath may be kissed. Nativity plays began in AD 1223 when Francis of Assisi assembled a scene outside his church in Greccio, Italy. Children sang carols celebrating birth of Jesus, growing larger each year as people traveled from afar to see the depiction.
The exchanging of gifts is one of core aspects of modern Christmas celebration, making it most profitable time of year for retailers and businesses throughout world. On Christmas, people exchange gifts based on Christian tradition associated with Saint Nicholas and gifts given to baby Jesus by Magi. Gift-bearing figures include Father Christmas, Santa Claus derived from Dutch Sinterklaas, Père Noël, and Weihnachtsmann. Modern popular image of Santa Claus created in United States through contributions including Washington Irving and German-American cartoonist Thomas Nast between 1840 and 1902. Current tradition in several Latin American countries holds that while Santa makes toys, he gives them to Baby Jesus who delivers them to children's homes. In Poland, multiple gift-giver figures exist varying between regions and families, with St Nicholas dominating Central and North-East areas. The Orkney Christmas Day Ba' tradition continues football games played between opposing sides during World War I truces on the 25th of December 1914. Home and away Christmas Day fixtures were often played guaranteeing clubs large crowds, with last December 25 fixture in England occurring in 1965 when Blackpool beat Blackburn Rovers 4, 2.
Common questions
When was the English word Christmas first recorded?
The English word Christmas is a shortened form of Christ's Mass, first recorded in 1038 and again in 1131. This term derives from Middle English, combining the Greek word for Christ with the Latin word for celebration of the Eucharist.
Who formally set December 25 as the date of Christmas?
Pope Julius I, bishop of Rome from 337 to 352, formally set the date. The earliest document placing Jesus's birthday on December 25 is the Chronograph of 354, also known as the Calendar of Filocalus, which reads that Christ was born in Bethlehem on VIII kal. Ian., consistent with Rome in AD 336.
What year did Charles Dickens write A Christmas Carol?
In 1843, Charles Dickens wrote the novel A Christmas Carol, which helped revive the spirit of Christmas and seasonal merriment. Its instant popularity played a major role in portraying Christmas as a holiday emphasizing family, goodwill, and compassion.
On what date was Christmas declared a United States federal holiday?
On the 28th of June 1870, Christmas was formally declared a United States federal holiday. Louis Prang introduced the Christmas card to Americans in 1875, earning him the title father of the American Christmas card.
When were Nativity scenes first used by Saint Francis of Assisi?
Nativity plays began in AD 1223 when Francis of Assisi assembled a scene outside his church in Greccio, Italy. Nativity scenes are known from 10th-century Rome and were popularized by Saint Francis of Assisi from 1223, quickly spreading across Europe.