Christmas

plural Christmases · plural Christmasses · alternative Christ-mas · alternative archaic Christmass · alternative archaic Christmasse · alternative abbreviation informal Xmas · alternative abbreviation informal X-mas · alternative abbreviation archaic Xtmas · alternative humorous pronunciation spelling Crimmas

1. alsoattributivecountableuncountableA festival or holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ and incorporating various Christian, pre-Christian, pagan, and secular customs including gift-giving, which in Western Christianity is celebrated on December 25 (Christmas Day) in most places.

   Do you celebrate Christmas?

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   This Christmas we’ll open presents, then go to grandma’s for dinner.

   Be gladde, lordes, bothe more and lasse, / For this hath ordeyned our stewarde / To chere you all this christmasse / The bores heed with mustarde.

   [[15th century] (date written), “A Caroll Bringyng in the Bores Heed”, in [Christmasse Carolles], London: […] Wynkyn de Worde, published 1521, →OCLC; republished in Joseph Ames, Typographical Antiquities: Being a Historical Account of Printing in England: […], London: […] W[illiam] Faden, and sold by J. Robinson, […], 1749, →OCLC, page 96, column 2

   In this Winter was great death in London, wherefore the Terme was adiorned, and the king for to eſchue the plague, kept his Chriſtmaſſe at Eltham with a ſmall number, for no man might come thether, but ſuch as were appoynted by name: this Chriſtmas in the kings houſe, was called the ſtill Chriſtmaſſe.

   1569, Richard Grafton, “Henry the Eyght”, in A Chronicle at Large and Meere History of the Affayres of Englande […], volume II, London: […] Henry Denham, […], for Richarde Tottle and Humffrey Toye, →OCLC, pages 1140–1141

   Kinde Gentlemen, and honeſt Companions, I preſent you here with a merrie conceited Comedie, called the Shoomakers Holyday, acted by my Lorde Admiralls Players this preſent Chriſtmaſſe, before the Queenes moſt excellent Maieſtie.

   1599 (first performance; published 1600), Thomas Dekker, “The Shomakers Holiday. Or The Gentle Craft. […]. To All Good Fellowes, Professors of the Gentle Craft; of what Degree Soeuer.”, in The Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker […], volume I, London: John Pearson […], published 1873, →OCLC, page 3

   Hereupon a Peace vvas concluded, vvhich vvas publiſhed a little before Chriſtmaſſe, in the Fourteenth yeare of the Kings Raigne, to continue for both the Kings liues, and the ouer-liuer of them, and a yeare after.

   1622, Francis, Lord Verulam, Viscount St. Alban [i.e. Francis Bacon], The Historie of the Raigne of King Henry the Seventh, […], London: […] W[illiam] Stansby for Matthew Lownes, and William Barret, →OCLC, page 191

   Synonyms: Chrimble, Chrimbo, Chrissy, Crimble, Crimbo, Noel, Yule

2. abbreviationalsoattributivecountableellipsisoftenuncountablebusinessEllipsis of Christmas season (“the period of time before and after Christmas Day, during which people prepare for and celebrate Christmas”); Christmastime.

   The last three Christmases have been good for retailers.

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   Christmas shoppers spent less this December than last year, but our store will probably see just as many returned items during the twelve days of Christmas.

   There'll be parties for hosting / Marshmallows for toasting / And caroling out in the snow / There'll be scary ghost stories / And tales of the glories / Of Christmases long, long ago

   1963 October 14, Eddie [i.e., Edward] Pola; George Wyle, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”, performed by Andy Williams, New York, N.Y.: Columbia Records, →OCLC

   Christmas is such a wonderful time of the year / Christmas, it's the season of good cheer / […] / Christmas is love, Christmas is love / The love of God, oh that's the marvelous thing

   1981, John W[illard] Peterson, “Christmas is Love”, Grand Rapids, Mich.: Singspiration, →OCLC

3. A number of places in the United States:
   1. alsoattributivecountableuncountableAn uninhabited mining community in Gila County, Arizona.
   2. alsoattributivecountableuncountableA census-designated place in Orange County, Florida.
   3. alsoattributivecountableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Au Train Township, Alger County, Michigan.
   4. alsoattributivecountableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Bolivar County, Mississippi.
4. alsoattributivecountableuncountableA surname.

1. UKalsoattributiveinformalregionaluncountableSprigs of holly and other evergreen plants used as Christmas decorations; also (generally), any Christmas decorations.

   Two of the girls carry between them on a stick what they call "the garland", […] The "garland" in shape reminds me of the "Christmas" which used to form the centre of the Christmas decorations in Yorkshire some few years ago, except that the latter had a bunch of mistletoe inside the hoops.

   1893 September, Percy Manning, “[Folk-lore Miscellanea.] May-Day at Watford, Herts.”, in Folk-lore: A Quarterly Review of Myth, Tradition, Institution, & Custom, volume IV, number III, London: David Nutt, […] for The Folk-lore Society, →OCLC, page 403

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   [T]he antient Britons employed for the decoration of their houſes, or, more properly ſpeaking, of their bovvers, branches of ever-green, in invitation to the ſpirits: a cuſtom, vvhich, hovvever the motive may be aboliſhed, is retained to this inſtant. That kind of verdure vvhich is uſed to deck the vvindovvs, and old halls, vve novv, by metonymy, call Chriſtmas.

   1766, [John Cleland], “Essay on the Musical Waits at Christmas”, in The Way to Things by Words, and to Words by Things; […], London: […] L[ockyer John] Davis and C[harles] Reymers, […], →OCLC, page 96

   "Vere does the mince-pies go, young opium eater?" said Mr. Weller to the fat boy, as he assisted in laying out such articles of consumption as had not been duly arranged on the previous night. The fat boy pointed to the destination of the pies. "Wery good," said Sam, "stick a bit o' Christmas in 'em.[…]"

   1836 March – 1837 October, Charles Dickens, “A Good-humoured Christmas Chapter, […]”, in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1837, →OCLC, page 290

   Synonyms: Christmasing

1. USalsoattributivenot comparableRed and green in color.
2. USalsoattributivenot comparablechiefly New MexicocookingOf a dish: having a sauce made with red (ripe) and green (unripe) chili peppers.

present singular third person Christmases · present singular third person Christmasses · participle present Christmasing · participle present Christmassing · participle past Christmased · past Christmased · participle past Christmassed · past Christmassed · alternative Xmas

1. USalsoattributiveinformaltransitiveTo decorate (a place) with Christmas (“sprigs of holly and other evergreen plants used as Christmas decorations, or any Christmas decorations”).

   (Moving to the holly boughs.) Come on; let's finish Christmassing the place.

   1966, James Goldman, The Lion in Winter: A Comedy in Two Acts, New York, N.Y.; Hollywood, Los Angeles, Calif.: Samuel French, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii, page 17

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   "Then look," said a gardener to me, "what's spent on a Christmasing the churches! Why, now, properly to Christmas St. Paul's, I say properly, mind, would take 50l. worth at least; aye, more, when I think of it, nearer 100l. I hope there'll be no 'No Popery' nonsense against Christmasing this year. I'm always sorry when anything of that kind's afloat, because it's frequently a hindrance to business."

   1851, Henry Mayhew, “Of the Sellers of Trees, Shrubs, Flowers (Cut and in Pots), Roots, Seeds, and Branches”, in London Labour and the London Poor; […], volume I (The London Street-folk. Book the First.), London: [George Woodfall], →OCLC, page 141, column 1

   Haddonfield was completely Christmased deep in December. It was lovely to see the beautifully decorated shops. Huge bows adorned the streetlamps, aerosol snow framed the windows, and people bundled up were moving in and out of the shops as the aroma of spice and clove from holiday candles scented the air.

   2012, Robin S. Shapiro, “It’s Never too Late to Play the Violin”, in Touchstones: Essays on Spirituality and Healing, [Bloomington, Ind.]: Xlibris, →ISBN, page 27

2. USalsoattributiveobsoleteraretransitiveTo bring (someone) Christmas cheer.

   Her labours feast imperial Night with sports, / Where loves are Christmass'd, with all pleasure's sorts; […]

   1594, George Chapman, “The Shadow of Night. Hymnus in Noctem.”, in Richard Herne Shepherd, editor, The Works of George Chapman: Poems and Minor Translations. […], London: Chatto and Windus, […], published 1875, →OCLC, page 7

3. USalsoattributiveintransitiveTo celebrate Christmas.

   The 2016 campaign via TBWA Sydney asks the question, ‘How do Australians Christmas?’ with a film to be launched today featuring global superstar and style icon, Cate Blanchett.

   2016 November 3, Ricki Green, “David Jones Asks ‘How do Australians Christmas?’ in New Campaign via TBWA Sydney”, in Campaign Brief, archived from the original on 24 Dec 2023

4. USalsoattributiveintransitiveTo spend Christmas or the Christmas season in some place.

   I've Christmased since those palmy days / In many a varied spot, / And suffered many a weary phase / Of Christmas cold and hot.

   1878, “Ironbark” [pseudonym; George Herbert Gibson], “Christmas in Australia”, in Southerly Busters, Sydney, N.S.W.: John Sands, […], →OCLC, page 73

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   I have spent Christmas on the Severn, at Sharpness Point; in Paris, under siege, and among scenes of heartrending distress; among the Scotch hills, with Presbyterian severity, and I have Christmased in Normandy, where every tree seems green with mistletoe.

   1878 December, Horace L. Nicholson, “Baulked by a Berry”, in W. J. Morgan, editor, The St. James’s Magazine and United Empire Review, volume XXXIV, London: Charing Cross Publishing Company, […], published 1879, →OCLC, page 1107

   Prince Albert Victor on arrival in India will land at Bombay, and travel through Southern India, proceeding from Madras by sea to Calcutta. He will Christmas at Calcutta, and then make a tour through Bengal, and pay a visit to the frontier.

   1889 July 6, “Facts and Fancies”, in St. Stephen’s Review, number 330, London: The Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 9, column 1

   Mr. Danby never omitted his annual visits to Penlyon Place. He Christmassed there, and he Eastered there, and he knew the owner of the fine old Tudor house inside and out, his vices and his virtues, his weaknesses, and his prejudices.

   1894, M[ary] E[lizabeth] Braddon, “Prologue”, in The Christmas Hirelings […], London: Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co. […], →OCLC, page 20

   André Maurois will be one of the spearheads of the Harold R[eginald] Peat list for the coming season, a result of Mr. Peat’s holiday visit to England, where he Christmassed with H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells.

   1938 January, Program: A Magazine for Program and Entertainment Committees, volume 4, number 4, New York, N.Y.: Program Company, →OCLC, page 7

   Christmasing in Khartoum, writing in his Cairo study about the Al Azhar University, overseeing the publication of learned articles about Moslem medievalism, attending conferences and tea parties hosted by his former AUB students, feted constantly in many an Arab capital, and filling up his diary with descriptions of the bazaars of Lucknow and the exotic birds of Asia, [Bayard] Dodge was reaping the bounty of a life devoted to the Arabs and Moslem culture.

   1993, Robert D[avid] Kaplan, “End of the Rainbow”, in The Arabists: The Romance of an American Elite, New York, N.Y.: The Free Press, →ISBN, part I (Dream), page 80

5. USalsoattributivecolloquialTo subject to Christmas celebrations.

   I had done Christmas in so many ways that I was somewhat ‘Christmassed-out.

   2012, Michael Parker, “Of Loos and Ships and Ceiling Lights, And Cabbages and Kings”, in It’s All Going Terribly Wrong: Organised Chaos at Royal, National and Military Celebrations over 45 years, London: Bene Factum Publishing, →ISBN, page 121

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   “[…] But there’s only so much joyful, greedy delight you can see in a young child’s eyes before you want to go screaming out for the nearest bar.” He tossed his handstitched, kidskin gloves onto the table top. “I’m about Christmassed-out, if you want to know.”

   2001, Susan Kiernan-Lewis, chapter 17, in Toujours Dead: A Mystery in Provence, Atlanta: Abdale Books, →ISBN, page 342

   "The kids claim they are all Christmassed-out and have disappeared in protest."

   2008, Tina-Sue Ducross, No Shadows Left Behind, Galion, Oh.: Harris Innovations, →ISBN, page 204

   That evening, after the family, Christmased out, went early to bed, Herman brought out his unmailed letters.

   2005 February, Nora Laurie Percival, Herman Gund, “A Taste of Paradise”, in Silver Pages on the Lawn: A True Story of Student Love during the 1930s, Vilas, N.C.: Kent Hollow Press, published November 2009, →ISBN, part III (Fall 1934—Love Learns), page 141

   Christmas muzak was pumping out, presumably to get her into the spirit of the thing. Not much chance of that, when she had felt all Christmassed out for months. Bugger off, she felt like shouting as a particularly cheesy version of ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ blared out. Look at all these people. Do any of them look bloody merry?

   2009, Julia Williams, “Prologue”, in Last Christmas, London: Avon, →ISBN, page 14

   I notice that this is one of the very few buildings in town that hasn’t any Christmas decorations whatsoever. / “We’re a respite from Christmas, I guess,” Suze explains. “Our kids are all Christmassed out.”

   2012, Jon Ronson, “Santa’s Little Conspirators”, in Lost at Sea: The Jon Ronson Mysteries, New York, N.Y.: Riverhead Books, →ISBN, part three (Everyday Difficulty), page 157

1. USalsoattributiveeuphemisticAn expression of annoyance or surprise: Christ, Jesus Christ, Jiminy Cricket, Jiminy Crickets.

   She said, "All right with you, Bertie?" / "Oh Christmas! he said. "I suppose so."

   1959, Ngaio Marsh, “On the Scent”, in False Scent, New York, N.Y.: Jove Books, published November 1981, →ISBN, section 3, page 158

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   "Christmas! I didn't know it," said Harvey, turning round. "I'll give you a dollar for it when I—get my wages. Say, I'll give you two dollars."

   1897, Rudyard Kipling, Captains Courageous

   "I've been tottering on the edge … Christmas!" His eyes brightened with a sudden thought. "How stupid I've been!" he cried at once.

   1930, Ellery Queen [pseudonym; Frederic Dannay, Manfred Bennington Lee], “‘The Time has Come …’”, in The French Powder Mystery: A Problem in Deduction, New York, N.Y.: Frederick A[bbott] Stokes Company, →OCLC, page 269

   Synonyms: Jesus Christmas, jiminy Christmas, Jimmy Christmas