Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ: This term refers specifically to the annual festival and religious observance held on December 25th to commemorate the Nativity.
   • A quarter day in England, Wales, and Ireland: In a historical and legal context, it denotes one of the four traditional days in the year when certain payments, such as rents, were due and when contracts could begin or end.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • We always gather with family on Christmas Day.
  • The church holds a special service on the morning of Christmas Day.
  • In the old calendar, Christmas Day was a quarter day for settling accounts.

Advanced Usage

• "Christmas Day falls on a Wednesday this year.": Used to state the specific day of the week on which December 25th occurs.
• "He was born on Christmas Day.": Can be used to indicate that a person's birthday is on December 25th.

Variants and Related Words

• Christmas (n): The broader festive season and period surrounding December 25th.
  • We decorate the tree for Christmas.
• Christmas Eve (n): The day before Christmas Day, December 24th.
• Boxing Day (n): The day after Christmas Day, December 26th, observed as a holiday in some countries.

Synonyms

• December 25th: The calendar date.
• Yule (archaic/poetic): An old term for the Christmas festival.
• Nativity: Refers specifically to the birth of Christ, often used in a religious context.

Related Phrases

• Christmas Day dinner: The traditional main meal eaten on December 25th.
• Christmas Day celebrations: The activities and events held to mark the day.

Related Idioms

• "Like turkeys voting for Christmas": A critical idiom (not directly about the day itself) meaning to act against one's own interests. It references the tradition of eating turkey on Christmas Day.
  • Agreeing to those job cuts would be like turkeys voting for Christmas.

Noun

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