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christmas, annual christian holiday commemorating the birth of jesuschrist. most members of the roman catholic church and followers of protestantismcelebrate christmas onecember 25, and many celebrate on the evening ofdecember 24 as well. members of the eastern orthodox church usuallyelay theirmost important seasonal ceremonies until january 6, when they celebrateepiphany, a commemoration of the baptism of jesus. epiphany also traditionallycommemorates the arrival of the three wise men of the east in bethlehem (nearjerusalem, israel), where they adored the infant jesus and psented him withgifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. the official christmas season, popularlyknown as either christmastide or the twelveays of christmas, extends from theanniversary of christ’s birth onecember 25 to the feast of epiphany on january6.
christmas is based on the story of jesus’ birth asescribed in the gospelaccording to matthew (see matthew 1:18-2:12) and the gospel according to luke(see luke 1:26-56). roman catholics first celebrated christmas, then known asthe feast of the nativity, as early as 336 ad. the word christmas entered theenglish language sometime around 1050 as the old english phrase christes maesse,meaning “festival of christ.” scholars believe the frequently used shortenedform of christmas—xmas—may h***e come into use in the 13th century. the x standsfor the greek letter chi, an abbreviation of khristos (christ), and alsorepsents the cross on which jesus was crucified.