Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Christ: December 25th, observed as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a major religious and cultural celebration for Christians worldwide.
   • A quarter day in England, Wales, and Ireland: In historical legal and financial contexts, December 25th is one of the four traditional quarter days of the year, marking the end of a quarter and a date on which payments such as rents were often due.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The family gathers every Dec 25 to exchange gifts and share a meal.
  • Many churches hold special services on Dec 25.
  • The rent was due on Dec 25, one of the old quarter days.

Advanced Usage

• "Observing Dec 25": Celebrating or marking the day, often with specific traditions.

  • They observe Dec 25 with both religious reverence and festive gatherings.

• "Falling on Dec 25": Used to describe when an event coincides with this date.

  • The public holiday will fall on a Monday this year because Dec 25 is a Sunday.

Variants and Related Words

• Christmas Day: The full, more common name for the holiday celebrated on December 25th.

  • Christmas Day is a public holiday in many countries.

• Yuletide: An archaic or literary term for the Christmas season, which includes Dec 25.

  • The spirit of Yuletide fills the town.

• Nativity: Refers specifically to the birth of Christ, the event commemorated on Dec 25.

  • The church displayed a beautiful nativity scene.

Synonyms

• Christmas: The most direct and common synonym for the holiday.
• Xmas: An informal abbreviation for Christmas, often used in writing.
• The Nativity of Our Lord: A formal religious term for the holiday.

Related Phrases

• Christmas Eve: The evening or day before Dec 25 (December 24th).

  • We attend a candlelight service on Christmas Eve.

• Boxing Day: The day after Dec 25 (December 26th), a holiday in some countries.

  • In the UK, Boxing Day is also a public holiday.

Related Idioms

• "White Christmas": A Christmas Day on which there is snow on the ground.

  • We're dreaming of a white Christmas.

• "Christmas comes but once a year": An idiom suggesting that because the holiday is rare, one should be generous or celebratory.

  • Don't be so frugal—Christmas comes but once a year!

Noun

1. a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Christ; a quarter day in England, Wales, and Ireland