Portal:Christmas

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Christmas or Christmas Day or "x-mas day" is a holiday observed mostly on December 25 to commemorate the birth of Jesus, the central figure of Christianity. The date is not known to be the actual birthday of Jesus, and may have initially been chosen to correspond with either the day exactly nine months after some early Christians believed Jesus had been conceived, the date of the winter solstice on the ancient Roman calendar, or one of various ancient winter festivals. Christmas is central to the Christmas and holiday season, and in Christianity marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days.

Although nominally a Christian holiday, Christmas is also widely celebrated by many non-Christians, and many of its popular celebratory customs have pre-Christian or secular themes and origins. Popular modern customs of the holiday include gift-giving, music, an exchange of greeting cards, church celebrations, a special meal, and the display of various decorations; including Christmas trees, lights, garlands, mistletoe, nativity scenes, and holly. In addition, Father Christmas (or Santa Claus) is a popular folklore figure in many countries, associated with the bringing of gifts for children.

-2711 days, -20 hours, -1 minutes, -38 seconds until Christmas 2016
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Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Box-header/colours' not found. Christmas controversy refers to controversy or disagreement surrounding the celebration or acknowledgment of the Christmas holiday in government, media, advertising and various secular environments. Modern-day controversy occurs mainly in the United States, Canada, and to a lesser extent in the United Kingdom, and usually stems from the holiday's significant annual role in Western economy in conjunction with its Christian significance in an increasingly religiously diversifying Western society. The term "War on Christmas" is sometimes used to address recent controversy. In recent decades, during the annual approach to December 25, it has been noticed that public, corporate, and government mention of the term "Christmas" has declined and been replaced with a generic term— usually "holiday" or "winter"— and that popular non-religious aspects of Christmas, such as secular Christmas carols and decorated trees are still prominently showcased and recognized, but are vaguely associated with unspecified "holidays", rather than with Christmas. Supporters of using the word "holidays" instead of "Christmas" cite the fact that many of the symbols western societies have come to associate with Christmas were taken from non-Christian pagan traditions that pre-date the birth of Jesus.

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Calvin Coolidge photo portrait head and shoulders.jpg
Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.


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"O Holy Night", Length: 4 minutes 2 seconds
"O Holy Night" ("Cantique de Noël") is a well-known Christmas carol composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847 to the French poem "Minuit, chrétiens" (Midnight, Christians) by Placide Cappeau (1808-1877), a wine merchant and poet.

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Related WikiProjects

WikiProject HolidaysWikiProject FestivalsWikiProject ReligionTemplate:/box-footer

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A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost Story of Christmas (commonly known as A Christmas Carol) is a book by English author Charles Dickens that was first published on 19 December 1843, with illustrations by John Leech. Dickens called it his "Little Christmas Book".
Credit: John Leech
A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost Story of Christmas (commonly known as A Christmas Carol) is a book by English author Charles Dickens that was first published on 19 December 1843, with illustrations by John Leech. Dickens called it his "Little Christmas Book".

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Christmas 1994 nor'easter • "Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo" • List of Christmas number one singles (UK)

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Baby Jesus theftChristmas in the post-War United StatesNativity sceneThe Nightmare Before Christmas • "A Benihana Christmas" • Christmas tree cultivation • "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire"Template:/box-footer

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Christmas tree

MainChristmas Eve · Christmas Day · Boxing Day · History · The Nativity · Bringers of gifts · Decorations · Economics · Customs

ChristianityNativity of Jesus · Nativity of Jesus in art · Nativity scene · Nativity of Jesus in later culture · Jesus Christ · Mary · Joseph · Angel Gabriel · Adoration of the Shepherds · Three Wise Men · Star of Bethlehem · King Herod · Massacre of the Innocents · Saint Nicholas · Twelfth Night · Epiphany · Advent · Christmastide Father Christmas · Santa Claus · Mrs. Claus · Santa Claus's elfs · Santa Claus's reindeer · Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer · Sinterklaas · Père Noël · Joulupukki · Ded Moroz  · La Befana · Christkind · Black Peter · Krampus · Belsnickel · Le Père Fouettard · North Pole · Santa's workshop · Korvatunturi · Other characters

FolkloreFather Christmas · Santa Claus · Mrs. Claus · Santa Claus's elfs · Santa Claus's reindeer · Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer · Sinterklaas · Père Noël · Joulupukki · Ded Moroz  · La Befana · Christkind · Black Peter · Krampus · Belsnickel · Le Père Fouettard · North Pole · Santa's workshop · Korvatunturi · Other characters

TraditionsTwelve Days of Christmas · Christmas trees · Wassailing · Yule log · Stockings · Ornaments · Lights · Nutcrackers · Christmas cards · Christmas songs · Christmas films · Christmas stamps  · A Visit from St. Nicholas · A Christmas Carol · NORAD Tracks Santa · Secret Santa · Advent calendars · Yule Goats · Santa Claus parades · Flying Santa · Christmas markets · Plants · Food · Feasts · Events · Parades · German · Philippine · Polish · Serbian · Ukrainian · Miners' parades · Miner's figures · Candle arches · Christmas pyramids · Smoking figures · Incense candles

MediaFiction · Films · Plays · Episodes · Specials · Albums · Best-selling albums · Hit singles and tracks · Best-selling singles · Carols · Other Christmas music and songs

SocietyChristmas club · Christmas controversy · Christmas creep · Christmas Mountains · Christmas truce · Christmas in various language · Black Friday · Cyber Monday · White Christmas · Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004 · Christmas and holiday season · Related holidays · List of winter festivals · SantaCon · Running of the Santas · Christmas in July · Christmas in August · Christmas in the American Civil War · Christmas in Puritan New England · Christmas in the post-War United StatesTemplate:/box-footer

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Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 2 3
4 5 6
Saint Nicholas Day
(Liturgical Calendar)
7 8 9 10
11 12 13
Saint Lucia Day
14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21
Winter Solstice (NH)
Summer Solstice(SH)
Yule begins
Chele/Yalda (Persian calendar)
22 23
Humanlight

Festivus
24
Christmas Eve (Christian)
Hanukkah begins at Sunset
25
Christmas Day
(Christian)
26
La an Dreolin (Ireland)
Kwanzaa begins
Boxing Day
27
Uwiha Ch'uyay (Bolivia)
28
Dia de Innocentadas (Spain, Latin America)
29 30
Rizal day (Philippines)
31
New Years Eve (Gregorian calendar)
Hogmanay (Scotland)

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Christmas on Wikinews     Christmas on Wikiquote     Christmas on Wikibooks     Christmas on Wikisource     Christmas on Wiktionary     Christmas on Wikimedia Commons
Wikinews:Holidays
Wikiquote:Category:Holidays and observances
Wikibooks:Holidays
Portal:Christmas
Wiktionary:holiday
Commons:Category:Holidays
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