Christmas Encyclopedia Britannica

Christmas tree live or artificial evergreen tree decorated with lights and ornaments as a part of christmas festivities.

Christmas encyclopedia britannica. Christmas items and the mention of shopping for christmas may begin as early as the summer with christmas tree displays appearing in retail stores in september and october. Noah tesch was associate editor for encyclopædia britannica. In the centuries that followed christmas grew in popularity especially in europe where it fused with practices borrowed from pagan midwinter festivals such as the tradition of decorating with lights and evergreen boughs. Christmas or christmas day commemorates and celebrates the birth of jesus the word christmas is derived from middle english christemasse and from old english cristes mæsse.

Christmas christian festival celebrating the birth of jesus. Christmas the holiday commemorating the birth of jesus christ is celebrated by a majority of christians on december 25 in the gregorian calendar but early christians did not celebrate his birth and no one knows on which date jesus was actually born some scholars believe that the actual date was in the early spring placing it closer to easter the holiday. While christmas trees are traditionally associated with christian symbolism their modern use is largely secular. It is a contraction meaning christ s mass the name of the holiday is sometimes shortened to xmas because roman letter x resembles the greek letter χ chi an abbreviation for christ χριστός.

Encyclopedia britannica updated for 2020 young readers learn about christmas through simple text photos and activities. December 25 has become widely accepted as the date of jesus birth. Christmas has become so important to the business world that some specialty stores dedicate their merchandise to promoting the business of christmas year round. Encyclopedia britannica young readers learn about christmas through simple text photos and activities.