CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html class="client-nojs" lang="en" dir="ltr"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"/> <title>Christmas - Citizendium</title> <script>document.documentElement.className="client-js";RLCONF={"wgBreakFrames":false,"wgSeparatorTransformTable":["",""],"wgDigitTransformTable":["",""],"wgDefaultDateFormat":"dmy","wgMonthNames":["","January","February","March","April","May","June","July","August","September","October","November","December"],"wgRequestId":"8c54fa5ab5ba0fef059db5a5","wgCSPNonce":false,"wgCanonicalNamespace":"","wgCanonicalSpecialPageName":false,"wgNamespaceNumber":0,"wgPageName":"Christmas","wgTitle":"Christmas","wgCurRevisionId":967247,"wgRevisionId":967247,"wgArticleId":29611,"wgIsArticle":true,"wgIsRedirect":false,"wgAction":"view","wgUserName":null,"wgUserGroups":["*"],"wgCategories":["Religion tag","Suggestion Bot Tag","Pages using ISBN magic links","CZ Live","Religion Workgroup","Articles written in British English","Advanced Articles written in British English","All Content","Religion Content"],"wgPageContentLanguage":"en","wgPageContentModel":"wikitext","wgRelevantPageName":"Christmas", "wgRelevantArticleId":29611,"wgIsProbablyEditable":false,"wgRelevantPageIsProbablyEditable":false,"wgRestrictionEdit":[],"wgRestrictionMove":[],"wgPageFormsTargetName":null,"wgPageFormsAutocompleteValues":[],"wgPageFormsAutocompleteOnAllChars":false,"wgPageFormsFieldProperties":[],"wgPageFormsCargoFields":[],"wgPageFormsDependentFields":[],"wgPageFormsCalendarValues":[],"wgPageFormsCalendarParams":[],"wgPageFormsCalendarHTML":null,"wgPageFormsGridValues":[],"wgPageFormsGridParams":[],"wgPageFormsContLangYes":null,"wgPageFormsContLangNo":null,"wgPageFormsContLangMonths":[],"wgPageFormsHeightForMinimizingInstances":800,"wgPageFormsShowOnSelect":[],"wgPageFormsScriptPath":"/wiki/extensions/PageForms","edgValues":null,"wgPageFormsEDSettings":null,"wgAmericanDates":false,"wgVector2022PreviewPages":[],"wgMediaViewerOnClick":true,"wgMediaViewerEnabledByDefault":true,"wgPopupsFlags":4};RLSTATE={"site.styles":"ready","user.styles":"ready","user":"ready","user.options":"loading", "ext.cite.styles":"ready","skins.vector.styles.legacy":"ready"};RLPAGEMODULES=["ext.cite.ux-enhancements","site","mediawiki.page.ready","mediawiki.toc","skins.vector.legacy.js","mmv.head","mmv.bootstrap.autostart","ext.gadget.charinsert","ext.popups"];</script> <script>(RLQ=window.RLQ||[]).push(function(){mw.loader.implement("user.options@12s5i",function($,jQuery,require,module){mw.user.tokens.set({"patrolToken":"+\\","watchToken":"+\\","csrfToken":"+\\"});});});</script> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/wiki/load.php?lang=en&modules=ext.cite.styles%7Cskins.vector.styles.legacy&only=styles&skin=vector"/> <script async="" src="/wiki/load.php?lang=en&modules=startup&only=scripts&raw=1&skin=vector"></script> <meta name="ResourceLoaderDynamicStyles" content=""/> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/wiki/load.php?lang=en&modules=site.styles&only=styles&skin=vector"/> <meta name="generator" content="MediaWiki 1.39.5"/> <meta name="format-detection" content="telephone=no"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://citizendium.org/wiki/images/3/3c/Leech_ghostpresent_big.jpg"/> <meta property="og:image:width" content="1200"/> <meta property="og:image:height" content="1967"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://citizendium.org/wiki/images/3/3c/Leech_ghostpresent_big.jpg"/> <meta property="og:image:width" content="800"/> <meta property="og:image:height" content="1311"/> <meta property="og:image:width" content="640"/> <meta property="og:image:height" content="1049"/> <meta name="viewport" content="width=1000"/> <link rel="icon" href="/images/favicon1.ico"/> <link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" href="/wiki/opensearch_desc.php" title="Citizendium"/> <link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" href="https://citizendium.org/wiki/api.php?action=rsd"/> <link rel="license" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/"/> <link rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml" title="Citizendium Atom feed" href="/wiki/index.php?title=Special:RecentChanges&feed=atom"/> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-W7ML9SNPXT"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-W7ML9SNPXT'); </script> </head> <body class="mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject page-Christmas rootpage-Christmas skin-vector action-view skin-vector-legacy vector-feature-language-in-header-enabled vector-feature-language-in-main-page-header-disabled vector-feature-language-alert-in-sidebar-disabled vector-feature-sticky-header-disabled vector-feature-sticky-header-edit-disabled vector-feature-table-of-contents-disabled vector-feature-visual-enhancement-next-disabled"><div id="mw-page-base" class="noprint"></div> <div id="mw-head-base" class="noprint"></div> <div id="content" class="mw-body" role="main"> <a id="top"></a> <div id="siteNotice"></div> <div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Christmas</span></h1> <div id="bodyContent" class="vector-body"> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Citizendium</div> <div id="contentSub"></div> <div id="contentSub2"></div> <div id="jump-to-nav"></div> <a class="mw-jump-link" href="#mw-head">Jump to navigation</a> <a class="mw-jump-link" href="#searchInput">Jump to search</a> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content mw-content-ltr" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="mw-parser-output"><div style="float:right;"><div style="position:relative; top: -20px;"> <div style="cursor: pointer" onClick="return addthis_open(this, '', 'https://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Christmas', 'Christmas')" onmouseout="addthis_close()"><img src="//s9.addthis.com/button1-share.gif" width="125" height="16" border="0" alt="" /></div>   <script type="text/javascript"> addthis_pub = 'citizendium'; addthis_logo = ''; addthis_logo_color = ''; addthis_logo_background = ''; addthis_brand = 'Citizendium'; addthis_options = ''; addthis_offset_top = ''; addthis_offset_left = ''; </script><script type="text/javascript" src="//s7.addthis.com/js/152/addthis_widget.js"></script>  </div></div><div align="left" style="background-color: #cccccc; margin:0.5em;position:relative;"> <table class="noprint" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="background:#f3f3f3"> <tbody><tr> <td rowspan="2" width="2px" valign="top" align="left" style="background:#C4D2DF; border-left:1px solid #aaaaaa; border-bottom:1px solid #aaaaaa; border-top:1px solid #aaaaaa; border-right:1px solid #aaaaaa;"><a href="/wiki/File:Statusbar1.png" class="image" title="This article is developed but not approved."><img alt="This article is developed but not approved." src="/wiki/images/9/92/Statusbar1.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="59" data-file-width="12" data-file-height="59" /></a><br /> </td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#C4D2DF" style="border-bottom:1px solid #C4D2DF; white-space: nowrap; border-top:1px solid #aaaaaa; border-right:1px solid #aaaaaa; font-size:0.9em;"><font size="2"><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Main Article</a></font><br /> </td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#CCCCCC" style="white-space: nowrap; border-bottom:1px solid #aaaaaa; border-top:1px solid #aaaaaa; border-right:1px solid #aaaaaa; font-size:0.9em;"><font size="2"><a href="/wiki/Talk:Christmas" title="Talk:Christmas">Discussion</a></font> <br /> </td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#CCCCCC" style="white-space: nowrap; border-bottom:1px solid #aaaaaa; border-top:1px solid #aaaaaa; border-right:1px solid #aaaaaa; font-size:0.9em;"><a href="/wiki/Christmas/Related_Articles" title="Christmas/Related Articles">Related Articles </a> <a href="/wiki/CZ:Related_Articles" title="CZ:Related Articles"><span style="font-size:0.9em;"><sup>[?]</sup></span></a> <br /> </td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#CCCCCC" style="white-space: nowrap; border-bottom:1px solid #aaaaaa; border-top:1px solid #aaaaaa; border-right:1px solid #aaaaaa; font-size:0.9em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/index.php?action=edit&preload=Template%3ASubpages_name&title=Christmas/Bibliography"><font color="#810541">Bibliography </font></a> <a href="/wiki/CZ:Bibliography" title="CZ:Bibliography"><span style="font-size:0.9em;"><sup>[?]</sup></span></a> <br /> </td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#CCCCCC" style="white-space: nowrap; border-bottom:1px solid #aaaaaa; border-top:1px solid #aaaaaa; border-right:1px solid #aaaaaa; font-size:0.9em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/index.php?action=edit&preload=Template%3ASubpages_name&title=Christmas/External_Links"><font color="#810541">External Links </font></a> <a href="/wiki/CZ:External_Links" title="CZ:External Links"><span style="font-size:0.9em;"><sup>[?]</sup></span></a> <br /> </td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#CCCCCC" style="white-space: nowrap; border-bottom:1px solid #aaaaaa; border-top:1px solid #aaaaaa; border-right:1px solid #aaaaaa; font-size:0.9em;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://en.citizendium.org/wiki?action=edit&preload=Template%3ACitable_Version_start&title=Christmas/Citable_Version"><font color="#810541">Citable Version </font></a> <a href="/wiki/CZ:Citable_Version" title="CZ:Citable Version"><span style="font-size:0.9em;"><sup>[?]</sup></span></a> <br /> </td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#CCCCCC" style="white-space: nowrap; border-bottom:1px solid #aaaaaa; border-top:1px solid #aaaaaa; border-right:1px solid #aaaaaa; font-size:0.9em;"><a href="/wiki/Christmas/Catalogs" title="Christmas/Catalogs">Catalogs</a> <a href="/wiki/CZ:Catalogs" title="CZ:Catalogs"><span style="font-size:0.9em;"><sup>[?]</sup></span></a> <br /> </td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#CCCCCC" style="white-space: nowrap; border-bottom:1px solid #aaaaaa; border-top:1px solid #aaaaaa; border-right:1px solid #aaaaaa; font-size:0.9em;"><div style="position:relative; width:14px; height:14px; overflow:hidden;"><div style="position:absolute; font-size:14px; overflow:hidden; line-height:14px; letter-spacing:14px;"><a href="/wiki/CZ:Subpages" title="CZ:Subpages"><span title="CZ:Subpages" style="text-decoration:none;">   </span></a></div><a href="/wiki/File:Subpages.png" class="image" title="CZ:Subpages"><img alt="CZ:Subpages" src="/wiki/images/thumb/1/1f/Subpages.png/14px-Subpages.png" decoding="async" width="14" height="14" srcset="/wiki/images/1/1f/Subpages.png 1.5x" data-file-width="17" data-file-height="17" /></a></div><div style="position:relative; width:14px; height:14px; overflow:hidden;"><div style="position:absolute; font-size:14px; overflow:hidden; line-height:14px; letter-spacing:14px;"><a href="/wiki/Template:Christmas/Metadata" title="Template:Christmas/Metadata"><span title="Template:Christmas/Metadata" style="text-decoration:none;">   </span></a></div><a href="/wiki/File:Metadata.png" class="image" title="Template:Christmas/Metadata"><img alt="Template:Christmas/Metadata" src="/wiki/images/thumb/4/4f/Metadata.png/14px-Metadata.png" decoding="async" width="14" height="14" srcset="/wiki/images/4/4f/Metadata.png 1.5x" data-file-width="17" data-file-height="17" /></a></div> </td> <td width="100%" style="background-color: #f3f3f3; border-bottom:1px solid #aaaaaa">  </td></tr> <tr> <td height="40px" colspan="20" style="background:#C4D2DF; padding: 2px 2px 2px 2px; border-right:1px solid #aaaaaa; border-bottom:1px solid #aaaaaa"> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td><div class="plainlinks plainlinksneverexpand" style="position:relative; width:17px; height:17px; overflow:hidden; text-decoration:none;"><div style="position:absolute; font-size:17px; overflow:hidden; line-height:17px; letter-spacing:17px;"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://en.citizendium.org/wiki/index.php?title=Christmas&printable=yes"><span title="https://en.citizendium.org/wiki/index.php?title=Christmas&printable=yes" style="text-decoration:none;">   </span></a></div><a href="/wiki/File:Print_button.png" class="image" title="https://en.citizendium.org/wiki/index.php?title=Christmas&printable=yes"><img alt="https://en.citizendium.org/wiki/index.php?title=Christmas&printable=yes" src="/wiki/images/thumb/0/07/Print_button.png/17px-Print_button.png" decoding="async" width="17" height="17" srcset="/wiki/images/thumb/0/07/Print_button.png/26px-Print_button.png 1.5x, /wiki/images/thumb/0/07/Print_button.png/34px-Print_button.png 2x" data-file-width="45" data-file-height="45" /></a></div> </td></tr></tbody></table><font size="2"><i>This editable, developed Main Article is subject to a <a href="/wiki/CZ:Disclaimer" title="CZ:Disclaimer"><b>disclaimer</b></a><b>. </b></i><b></b></font><div style="float:right; margin: .1em .5em;"><b>[<span class="plainlinks plainlinksneverexpand"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://citizendium.org/wiki/index.php?title=Christmas&action=edit&section=0"><font size="2">edit intro</font></a></span>]</b></div> </td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:246px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Leech_ghostpresent_big.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="/wiki/images/3/3c/Leech_ghostpresent_big.jpg" decoding="async" width="244" height="400" class="thumbimage" data-file-width="244" data-file-height="400" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:Leech_ghostpresent_big.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"></a></div>"The Ghost Engine of Christmas Present", an illustration from <a href="/wiki/Charles_Dickens" title="Charles Dickens">Charles Dickens</a>'s novel <i><a href="/wiki/A_Christmas_Carol" title="A Christmas Carol">A Christmas Carol</a></i> (1843).</div></div></div> <p><b>Christmas</b> has two main meanings: one, <i>Christmas Day</i>, an annual national holiday held on December 25 in many countries, and two, <i>Christmastide</i>, also known as <i>The Twelve Days of Christmas</i>, a holy season that marks the birth of <a href="/wiki/Jesus" title="Jesus">Jesus</a>, the central figure of <a href="/wiki/Christianity" title="Christianity">Christianity</a>. Christmas traditions include the display of Nativity scenes, <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Holly&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Holly (page does not exist)">holly</a> and Christmas trees, the exchange of gifts and cards, and the arrival of <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Father_Christmas&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Father Christmas (page does not exist)">Father Christmas</a> or <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Santa_Claus&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Santa Claus (page does not exist)">Santa Claus</a>, also called <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Saint_Nicholas&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Saint Nicholas (page does not exist)">Saint Nicholas</a>. In addition, religious observances include special church services, the singing of particular <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Hymn&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Hymn (page does not exist)">hymns</a> and <a href="/wiki/Christmas_carol" title="Christmas carol">carols</a> and Nativity plays. Christmas has inspired a wide range of music, literature and performance art. </p><p>In Western countries, Christmas has become the most economically significant holiday of the year. In the United States, the holiday of <a href="/wiki/Thanksgiving" title="Thanksgiving">Thanksgiving</a> marks the beginning of the Christmas season, although shopkeepers may begin Christmas marketing several weeks before this, and continue promotions through the "after-Christmas sales" of January. </p><p>The modern celebration of Christmas blends modern religious and ancient pagan elements. The origins of Christmas can be traced in part to pre-Christian winter festivals. Many cultures have their most important holiday in winter because there is less agricultural work to do at this time. Examples of winter festivals that may have influenced Christmas include the pagan festivals of <a href="/wiki/Yule" title="Yule">Yule</a> and <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Saturnalia&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Saturnalia (page does not exist)">Saturnalia</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1">[1]</a></sup> </p><p>In most observances, the Christmas season begins on December 25 and ends on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6th, although this date is merely traditional, as the actual date of the birth of Jesus is unknown.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2">[2]</a></sup> Most <a href="/wiki/Orthodox_Church" class="mw-redirect" title="Orthodox Church">Orthodox Churches</a> celebrate Christmas on January 7, the date on the Gregorian calendar which corresponds to December 25 on the Julian Calendar. </p> <div style="float:right; clear:right; margin:0 0 0.5em 0.3em; padding:0.5em 0 0.8em 1.4em;"><div id="toc" class="toc" role="navigation" aria-labelledby="mw-toc-heading"><input type="checkbox" role="button" id="toctogglecheckbox" class="toctogglecheckbox" style="display:none" /><div class="toctitle" lang="en" dir="ltr"><h2 id="mw-toc-heading">Contents</h2><span class="toctogglespan"><label class="toctogglelabel" for="toctogglecheckbox"></label></span></div> <ul> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="#Etymology"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Etymology</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2"><a href="#The_Nativity"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">The Nativity</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-3"><a href="#History"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">History</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-4"><a href="#Origin_of_the_festival"><span class="tocnumber">3.1</span> <span class="toctext">Origin of the festival</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-5"><a href="#Middle_Ages"><span class="tocnumber">3.2</span> <span class="toctext">Middle Ages</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-6"><a href="#The_Reformation_and_the_1800s"><span class="tocnumber">3.3</span> <span class="toctext">The Reformation and the 1800s</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7"><a href="#The_20th_century_and_after"><span class="tocnumber">3.4</span> <span class="toctext">The 20th century and after</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-8"><a href="#Santa_Claus"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Santa Claus</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-9"><a href="#Christmas_trees_and_other_decorations"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Christmas trees and other decorations</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-10"><a href="#Economics_of_Christmas"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Economics of Christmas</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-11"><a href="#Commercialization"><span class="tocnumber">6.1</span> <span class="toctext">Commercialization</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-12"><a href="#References"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Etymology">Etymology</span></h2> <p>The word "Christmas" is a contraction of "Christ's Mass." It is derived from the Middle English <i>Christemasse</i> and Old English <i>Cristes mæsse.</i><sup id="cite_ref-CathChrit_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CathChrit-3">[3]</a></sup> Dutch has a similar word, <i>Kerstmis</i> often shortened to <i>Kerst</i>. The words for the holiday in Spanish (<i>navidad</i>), Portuguese (<i>natal</i>), Polish (<i>Boże Narodzenie</i>), French (<i>noël</i>), and Italian (<i>natale</i>), refer explicitly to the Nativity. In contrast, the German name <i>Weihnachten</i> means simply "hallowed night." The Anglo-Saxons referred to Christmas as <i>geol</i>,<sup id="cite_ref-CathChrit_3-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CathChrit-3">[3]</a></sup> the name of a pre-Christian winter festival from which the current English word "Yule" is derived. </p><p>Christmas is sometimes shortened to <i>Xmas</i>, an abbreviation that has a long history.<sup id="cite_ref-Bratcher_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bratcher-4">[4]</a></sup> In early Greek versions of the New Testament, the letter <i>Χ</i> (chi), is the first letter of Christ (<i>Χριστός</i>). Since the mid-sixteenth century <i>Χ</i>, or the similar Roman letter X, has been used as an abbreviation for Christ.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5">[5]</a></sup> </p> <div class="thumb tleft"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:252px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Adorazione_del_Bambino_-_Beato_Angelico.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="/wiki/images/thumb/b/ba/Adorazione_del_Bambino_-_Beato_Angelico.jpg/250px-Adorazione_del_Bambino_-_Beato_Angelico.jpg" decoding="async" width="250" height="297" class="thumbimage" srcset="/wiki/images/thumb/b/ba/Adorazione_del_Bambino_-_Beato_Angelico.jpg/375px-Adorazione_del_Bambino_-_Beato_Angelico.jpg 1.5x, /wiki/images/thumb/b/ba/Adorazione_del_Bambino_-_Beato_Angelico.jpg/500px-Adorazione_del_Bambino_-_Beato_Angelico.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2536" data-file-height="3016" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:Adorazione_del_Bambino_-_Beato_Angelico.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"></a></div><i>Adorazione del Bambino</i> <i>(Adoration of the Child)</i> (1439-43), a mural by Florentine painter Fra Angelico.</div></div></div> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="The_Nativity">The Nativity</span></h2> <p>The Gospel of Matthew<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6">[6]</a></sup> and the Gospel of Luke<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7">[7]</a></sup> each contains a distinct version of the Nativity story. According to these accounts, Jesus was born to Mary, assisted by her husband Joseph, in the town of Bethlehem (literally the "House of bread", also called "David's City", a place of historical importance to the ancient Jews). Because Luke's version mentions that the infant Jesus was laid in a "manger", a hay-filled animal feeder, the birth is presumed to have taken place in a stable of sorts, with the Holy Family surrounded by farm animals. Shepherds from the fields surrounding Bethlehem were told of the birth by an angel, and were the first to see the child.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8">[8]</a></sup> Christians believe that the birth of Jesus fulfilled prophecies made hundreds of years before his birth. Later, three "wise men from the East" (known in Christian tradition as <i>The Magi</i>, the <i>Three Wise Men</i> or <i><a href="/wiki/The_Three_Kings" title="The Three Kings">The Three Kings</a></i>) visited as well, <sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9">[9]</a></sup> bringing expensive gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These wise men are traditionally referred to as Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, although their names and number are not referred to in the Biblical narrative. They are said to have followed a star, known as the <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Star_of_Bethlehem&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Star of Bethlehem (page does not exist)">Star of Bethlehem</a> to Jerusalem, and found Jesus, whom they believed to be "the King of the Jews". Matthew's narrative includes a political aside involving King Herod of Judea being troubled and jealous at the thought of the birth of another king. </p><p>Remembering or re-creating the Nativity is a central way that Christians celebrate Christmas. The Orthodox Church practices the Nativity Fast in anticipation of the birth of Jesus, while much of the Western Church observes <a href="/wiki/Advent" title="Advent">Advent</a>. In many Christian churches, congregants perform plays re-telling the events of the Nativity; in some churches it a tradition that these Nativity plays are performed by children. Some Christians also display a small re-creation of the Nativity, known as a Nativity Scene, in their homes, using figurines to portray the key characters of the event. Live Nativity Scenes are also performed, using actors and live animals to portray the event with more realism.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10">[10]</a></sup> </p><p>In the U.S., Christmas decorations at public buildings once commonly included Nativity scenes. This practice led to many lawsuits which argued that the practice amounted to a government endorsement of a religion. In 1984, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a city-owned Christmas display, even one with a Nativity scene, does not violate the First Amendment.<sup id="cite_ref-Lynch_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Lynch-11">[11]</a></sup> </p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="History">History</span></h2> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Origin_of_the_festival">Origin of the festival</span></h3> <p>The New Testament does not give a date for the birth for Jesus. The Romans considered December 25 to be the date of the winter solstice, which they called <i>bruma</i>. Jesus was associated with solar days because he was identified with the "sun of righteousness."<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12">[12]</a></sup> <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Sextus_Julius_Africanus&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Sextus Julius Africanus (page does not exist)">Sextus Julius Africanus</a> popularized the idea that Jesus was born on December 25 in <i>Chronographiai</i> (AD 221), a now lost reference book for Christians.<sup id="cite_ref-Britannica_13-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Britannica-13">[13]</a></sup> This date is nine months after the traditional date of the incarnation (March 25), now celebrated as the Feast of the Annunciation.<sup id="cite_ref-CathAnnun_14-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CathAnnun-14">[14]</a></sup> On the Roman calendar, March 25 was the date of the vernal equinox and early Christians believed it was also the date that Jesus was crucified.<sup id="cite_ref-CathAnnun_14-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CathAnnun-14">[14]</a></sup> The Christian idea that Jesus was conceived on the same date that he died is consistent with a Jewish belief that a prophet lived an integral number of years.<sup id="cite_ref-CathAnnun_14-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CathAnnun-14">[14]</a></sup> </p><p>The identification of the birthdate of Jesus did not at first inspire feasting or celebration. In 245, the theologian Origen denounced the idea of celebrating Jesus' birthday "as if he were a king pharaoh." He contended that only sinners, not saints, celebrated their birthdays. </p><p>The earliest reference to the celebration of Christmas is in the Calendar of Filocalus, an illuminated manuscript compiled in Rome in 354.<sup id="cite_ref-CathChrit_3-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CathChrit-3">[3]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15">[15]</a></sup> In the east, meanwhile, Christians celebrated the birth of Jesus as part of Epiphany (January 6), although this festival focused on the baptism of Jesus.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16">[16]</a></sup> </p><p>Christmas was promoted in the east as part of the revival of <a href="/wiki/Catholicism" title="Catholicism">Catholicism</a> following the death of the pro-Arian Emperor Valens at the <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Battle_of_Adrianople&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Battle of Adrianople (page does not exist)">Battle of Adrianople</a> in 378. The feast was introduced to <a href="/wiki/Constantinople" title="Constantinople">Constantinople</a> in 379, to <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Antioch&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Antioch (page does not exist)">Antioch</a> in about 380, and to <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Alexandria&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Alexandria (page does not exist)">Alexandria</a> in about 430. Christmas was especially controversial in fourth Constantinople, being the "fortress of Arianism," as <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Edward_Gibbon&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Edward Gibbon (page does not exist)">Edward Gibbon</a> described it. The feast disappeared after Gregory of Nazianzus resigned as bishop in 381, although it was reintroduced by <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=John_Chrysostom&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="John Chrysostom (page does not exist)">John Chrysostom</a> in about 400.<sup id="cite_ref-CathChrit_3-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-CathChrit-3">[3]</a></sup> Over the course of time it was adopted by all the Eastern churches except the Armenian. </p> <div class="thumb tleft"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:252px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Don_Lorenzo_Monaco_001.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="/wiki/images/thumb/4/4e/Don_Lorenzo_Monaco_001.jpg/250px-Don_Lorenzo_Monaco_001.jpg" decoding="async" width="250" height="208" class="thumbimage" srcset="/wiki/images/thumb/4/4e/Don_Lorenzo_Monaco_001.jpg/375px-Don_Lorenzo_Monaco_001.jpg 1.5x, /wiki/images/thumb/4/4e/Don_Lorenzo_Monaco_001.jpg/500px-Don_Lorenzo_Monaco_001.jpg 2x" data-file-width="3176" data-file-height="2648" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:Don_Lorenzo_Monaco_001.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"></a></div>Adoration of the Magi by <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Don_Lorenzo_Monaco&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Don Lorenzo Monaco (page does not exist)">Don Lorenzo Monaco</a> (1422).</div></div></div> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Middle_Ages">Middle Ages</span></h3> <p>In the early Middle Ages, Christmas Day was overshadowed by Epiphany, which in the west focused on the visit of the magi.<sup id="cite_ref-Murray_17-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Murray-17">[17]</a></sup> But the Medieval calendar was dominated by Christmas-related holidays. The forty days before Christmas became the "forty days of St. Martin," now known as <a href="/wiki/Advent" title="Advent">Advent</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Murray_17-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Murray-17">[17]</a></sup> In Italy, former Saturnalian traditions were attached to Advent.<sup id="cite_ref-Murray_17-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Murray-17">[17]</a></sup> </p><p>The gradual increase in the prominence of Christmas Day may reflect the influence of Yule, a pre-Christian northern European festival which was rescheduled to correspond with Christmas. <a href="/wiki/Charlemagne" title="Charlemagne">Charlemagne</a> was crowned on Christmas Day in 800 and King <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=William_I_of_England&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="William I of England (page does not exist)">William I of England</a> was crowned on Christmas Day 1066. </p><p>Around the twelfth century, the hedonistic traditions of Saturnalia transferred again to the "twelve days of Christmas" (December 25 - January 5).<sup id="cite_ref-Murray_17-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Murray-17">[17]</a></sup> The evening of January 5 was called "twelfth night," a festival later celebrated by William Shakespeare in a play of that name. </p> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:252px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Worship_of_the_shepherds_by_bronzino.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="/wiki/images/thumb/3/36/Worship_of_the_shepherds_by_bronzino.jpg/250px-Worship_of_the_shepherds_by_bronzino.jpg" decoding="async" width="250" height="352" class="thumbimage" srcset="/wiki/images/thumb/3/36/Worship_of_the_shepherds_by_bronzino.jpg/375px-Worship_of_the_shepherds_by_bronzino.jpg 1.5x, /wiki/images/thumb/3/36/Worship_of_the_shepherds_by_bronzino.jpg/500px-Worship_of_the_shepherds_by_bronzino.jpg 2x" data-file-width="675" data-file-height="950" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:Worship_of_the_shepherds_by_bronzino.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"></a></div><i>Adoration by the shepherds</i>, by Florentine painter Angelo Bronzino (1503 - 1572).</div></div></div> <p>By the High Middle Ages, the holiday had become so prominent that chroniclers routinely noted where various magnates celebrated Christmas.<sup id="cite_ref-Murray_17-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Murray-17">[17]</a></sup> King Richard II of England hosted a Christmas feast in 1377 at which twenty-eight oxen and three hundred sheep were eaten.<sup id="cite_ref-Murray_17-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Murray-17">[17]</a></sup> The "Yule boar" was a common feature of medieval Christmas feasts.<sup id="cite_ref-Murray_17-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Murray-17">[17]</a></sup> Caroling was also popular.<sup id="cite_ref-Murray_17-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Murray-17">[17]</a></sup> This was originally a group of dancers who sang.<sup id="cite_ref-Murray_17-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Murray-17">[17]</a></sup> The group was composed of a lead singer and a ring of dancers that provided the chorus.<sup id="cite_ref-Murray_17-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Murray-17">[17]</a></sup> Various writers of the time condemned caroling as lewd, so perhaps the unruly traditions of Saturnalia and Yule continued in this form.<sup id="cite_ref-Murray_17-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Murray-17">[17]</a></sup> "Misrule" — drunkenness, promiscuity, gambling — was also an important aspect of the festival.<sup id="cite_ref-Murray_17-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Murray-17">[17]</a></sup> Indeed, in some locations, a "Lord of Misrule" was appointed - a commoner or serf put in charge for the feast. This is possibly the origin of the paper crown present in modern day Christmas crackers. In England, gifts were exchanged on New Year's Day and there was special Christmas ale.<sup id="cite_ref-Murray_17-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Murray-17">[17]</a></sup> </p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="The_Reformation_and_the_1800s">The Reformation and the 1800s</span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:252px;"><a href="/wiki/File:FatherChristmastrial.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="/wiki/images/thumb/1/19/FatherChristmastrial.jpg/250px-FatherChristmastrial.jpg" decoding="async" width="250" height="353" class="thumbimage" srcset="/wiki/images/1/19/FatherChristmastrial.jpg 1.5x" data-file-width="255" data-file-height="360" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:FatherChristmastrial.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"></a></div>Excerpt from Josiah King's <i>The Examination and Tryal of Father Christmas</i> (1686), published shortly after Christmas was reinstated as a holy day in England.</div></div></div> <p>During the Reformation, Protestants condemned Christmas celebration as "trappings of popery" and the "rags of the Beast".<sup id="cite_ref-Durston_18-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Durston-18">[18]</a></sup> The Catholic Church responded by promoting the festival in a more religiously oriented form.<sup id="cite_ref-Durston_18-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Durston-18">[18]</a></sup> Following the Parliamentary victory over King Charles I during the English Civil War, England's <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Puritan&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Puritan (page does not exist)">Puritan</a> rulers banned Christmas (1647).<sup id="cite_ref-Durston_18-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Durston-18">[18]</a></sup> Pro-Christmas rioting broke out in several cities and for several weeks <a href="/wiki/Canterbury" title="Canterbury">Canterbury</a> was controlled by the rioters, who decorated doorways with holly and shouted royalist slogans.<sup id="cite_ref-Durston_18-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Durston-18">[18]</a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=English_Restoration&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="English Restoration (page does not exist)">Restoration</a> of 1660 ended the ban, but most Anglican clergymen still disapproved of Christmas celebration.<sup id="cite_ref-Durston_18-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Durston-18">[18]</a></sup> </p><p>In colonial America, the Puritans of New England disapproved of Christmas and outlawed its celebration in Boston (1659-81). At the same time, Christian residents of <a href="/wiki/Virginia_(U.S._state)" title="Virginia (U.S. state)">Virginia</a> and <a href="/wiki/New_York_(disambiguation)" title="New York (disambiguation)">New York</a> observed the holiday freely. Christmas fell out of favor in the United States after the <a href="/wiki/American_Revolution" title="American Revolution">American Revolution</a>, when it was considered an English custom. </p><p>By the 1820s, sectarian tension had eased and British writers began to worry that Christmas was dying out. They imagined <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Tudor&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Tudor (page does not exist)">Tudor</a> Christmas as a time of heartfelt celebration, and efforts were made to revive the holiday. <a href="/wiki/Charles_Dickens" title="Charles Dickens">Charles Dickens</a>' book <i><a href="/wiki/A_Christmas_Carol" title="A Christmas Carol">A Christmas Carol</a></i> (1843) played a major role in reinventing Christmas as a holiday emphasizing family, goodwill, and compassion, as opposed to communal celebration and hedonistic excess.<sup id="cite_ref-Rowell_19-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Rowell-19">[19]</a></sup> </p><p>Interest in Christmas in America was revived in the 1820s by several short stories by <a href="/wiki/Washington_Irving" title="Washington Irving">Washington Irving</a> which appear in his <i>The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon</i> and "Old Christmas", and by <a href="/wiki/Clement_Clarke_Moore" title="Clement Clarke Moore">Clement Clarke Moore</a>'s 1822 poem <i><a href="/wiki/index.php?title=A_Visit_From_St._Nicholas&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="A Visit From St. Nicholas (page does not exist)">A Visit From St. Nicholas</a></i> (also known as <i>Twas the Night Before Christmas</i>). Irving's stories depicted harmonious warm-hearted holiday traditions he claimed to have observed in England. Although some argue that Irving invented the traditions he describes, they were widely imitated by his American readers. The numerous <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Germans&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Germans (page does not exist)">German</a> immigrants and the homecomings following the <a href="/wiki/American_Civil_War" title="American Civil War">American Civil War</a> also helped promote the holiday. Christmas was declared a U.S. <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Federal_holiday&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Federal holiday (page does not exist)">Federal holiday</a> in 1870. </p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="The_20th_century_and_after">The 20th century and after</span></h3> <p>In 1914, the first year of World War I, there was an <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Christmas_Truce&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Christmas Truce (page does not exist)">unofficial truce</a> between German and British armies in France. Soldiers on both sides spontaneously began to sing carols and stopped fighting. The truce began on Christmas Day and continued for some time afterwards.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20">[20]</a></sup> Many <a href="/wiki/Christmas_in_the_Trenches" title="Christmas in the Trenches">stories</a> about the truce include a soccer game between the trench lines. </p><p>Since a 1962 U.S Supreme Court regarding school prayer, Christmas has been the subject of controversy in the United States. Some considered the U.S. government's recognition of Christmas as a federal holiday to be a violation of the separation of church and state. This was brought to trial several times, recently including in <i>Lynch v. Donnelly (1984)</i><sup id="cite_ref-Lynch_11-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Lynch-11">[11]</a></sup> and <i>Ganulin v. United States (1999)</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-Ganulin_21-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Ganulin-21">[21]</a></sup> According to <i>Ganulin</i>, "the establishment of Christmas Day as a legal public holiday does not violate the Establishment Clause because it has a valid secular purpose." This decision was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2000. Many devout Christians objected to what they saw as the vulgarization and cooption of one of their sacred observances by secular commercial society and calls to return to "the true meaning of Christmas" were common. </p><p>Controversy over Christmas erupted again in 2005, when retailers, including Walmart, promoted the use of the phrase "happy holidays" as opposed to the traditional "merry Christmas." American political commentators such as Bill O'Reilly protested this as part of what they claimed was general trend to secularize society.<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22">[22]</a></sup> </p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Santa_Claus">Santa Claus</span></h2> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:252px;"><a href="/wiki/File:1863_harpers.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="/wiki/images/thumb/f/ff/1863_harpers.jpg/250px-1863_harpers.jpg" decoding="async" width="250" height="388" class="thumbimage" srcset="/wiki/images/f/ff/1863_harpers.jpg 1.5x" data-file-width="290" data-file-height="450" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:1863_harpers.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"></a></div>Santa Claus hands out gifts during the US Civil War in Thomas Nast's first Santa Claus cartoon, <i>Harper's Weekly</i>, 1863.</div></div></div> <p>The holiday is characterized by the exchange of gifts among friends and family members, some of which are attributed to "Santa Claus," also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas or St. Nikolaus, or Kris Kringle. The name Santa Claus is derived from the Dutch <i>Sinterklaas,</i> a contraction of <i>Sint Nicolaas</i> (Saint Nicholas). Sinterklaas gave gifts to Dutch children on December 5 and was therefore a part of New York's heritage as a former Dutch colony. He became associated with Christmas as a result of Irving's <i>History of New York,</i> (1809). Moore's poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (1823) is responsible for establishing Santa Claus in the mind of the American public. </p><p>The image of Santa Claus was created by the German-American cartoonist Thomas Nast (1840-1902), who drew a new image annually, beginning in 1863. By the 1880s, Nast's Santa had evolved into the form we now recognize. The image was standardized by advertisers in the 1920s.<sup id="cite_ref-Mikkelson_23-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Mikkelson-23">[23]</a></sup> </p><p>Father Christmas, who predates Santa Claus, was first recorded in the 15th century, but he was originally associated with holiday merrymaking and drunkenness.<sup id="cite_ref-Harper_24-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Harper-24">[24]</a></sup> In Victorian Britain, his image was remade to match that of Santa. France's Père Noël has a similar history. In Italy, "Babbo Natale" acts as Santa Claus while "La Befana" brings gifts on the eve of the Epiphany. </p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Christmas_trees_and_other_decorations">Christmas trees and other decorations</span></h2><p> The Christmas tree represents an adaptation of Germanic traditions regarding the use of evergreen boughs.<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-25">[25]</a></sup> The English language phrase "Christmas tree" was first recorded in 1835<sup id="cite_ref-Harper_24-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Harper-24">[24]</a></sup> and represents an importation from German.</p><div class="thumb tleft"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:252px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Image-Juletr%C3%A6et.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="/wiki/images/thumb/9/98/Image-Juletr%C3%A6et.jpg/250px-Image-Juletr%C3%A6et.jpg" decoding="async" width="250" height="344" class="thumbimage" srcset="/wiki/images/thumb/9/98/Image-Juletr%C3%A6et.jpg/375px-Image-Juletr%C3%A6et.jpg 1.5x, /wiki/images/9/98/Image-Juletr%C3%A6et.jpg 2x" data-file-width="436" data-file-height="600" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:Image-Juletr%C3%A6et.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"></a></div><span style="font-size:0.8em; color:rgb(125, 125, 125);">(CC) Photo: Malene Thyssen</span> <br />A family Christmas tree.</div></div></div> <p>The modern Christmas tree tradition is believed to have begun in Germany in the 18th century<sup id="cite_ref-Shaman_26-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Shaman-26">[26]</a></sup> From Germany the custom was introduced to England, first via Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III, and then more successfully by Prince Albert during the reign of <a href="/wiki/Queen_Victoria" title="Queen Victoria">Queen Victoria</a>. Around the same time, German immigrants introduced the custom into the United States.<sup id="cite_ref-27" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-27">[27]</a></sup> Christmas trees may be decorated with lights and ornaments. </p><p>Since the 19th century, the poinsettia has been associated with Christmas. Along with a Christmas tree, the interior of a home may be decorated with these plants, along with garlands and evergreen foliage. </p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Economics_of_Christmas">Economics of Christmas</span></h2> <p>In most areas, Christmas Day is the least active day of the year for business and commerce; almost all retail, commercial and institutional businesses are closed, and almost all industries cease activity (more than any other day of the year). In <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=England_and_Wales&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="England and Wales (page does not exist)">England and Wales</a>, the <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Christmas_Day_(Trading)_Act_2004&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004 (page does not exist)">Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004</a> prevents all large shops from trading on Christmas Day. Scotland is currently planning similar legislation. <a href="/wiki/Film_studio" class="mw-redirect" title="Film studio">Film studios</a> release many high-budget movies in the holiday season, including Christmas films, <a href="/wiki/Fantasy" class="mw-redirect" title="Fantasy">fantasy</a> movies or high-tone dramas with high <a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Production_values&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Production values (page does not exist)">production values</a>. </p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Commercialization">Commercialization</span></h3> <p>Once the 1823 poem "A Visit from Saint Nicholas" had popularized the tradition of exchanging gifts, Christmas shopping gradually began to assume economic importance.<sup id="cite_ref-28" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-28">[28]</a></sup> In her 1850 book "The First Christmas in New England", Harriet Beecher Stowe has a character complain that the true meaning of Christmas was being lost in a shopping spree.<sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-29">[29]</a></sup> </p><p>The economic importance of Christmas was highlighted when President <a href="/wiki/Franklin_D._Roosevelt" title="Franklin D. Roosevelt">Franklin D. Roosevelt</a> proposed moving up the <a href="/wiki/Thanksgiving" title="Thanksgiving">Thanksgiving</a> holiday date to extend the Christmas shopping season and boost the economy.<sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-30">[30]</a></sup> In their 1931 Christmas sermons, American clergymen responded by denouncing efforts to commercialize the holiday.<sup id="cite_ref-31" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-31">[31]</a></sup> </p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="References">References</span></h2> <span style="font-size: 85%;"><div class="references" style="-moz-column-count:2; column-count:2;"><div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-1">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Flanders, J (2017). <i>Christmas: A Biography</i>. London: Picador.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-2">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">The Oxford Dictionary of Christian Church, Oxford University Press, London (1977), p. 280.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-CathChrit-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">↑ <sup><a href="#cite_ref-CathChrit_3-0">3.0</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-CathChrit_3-1">3.1</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-CathChrit_3-2">3.2</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-CathChrit_3-3">3.3</a></sup></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03724b.htm">"Christmas"</a>, <i>The Catholic Encyclopedia</i>, 1913.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Bratcher-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-Bratcher_4-0">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Bratcher, Dennis. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.crivoice.org/cyxmas.html">"The Christmas Season"</a> <i>The Voice,</i> CRI/Voice, Institute, 2006.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-5">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.askoxford.com/pressroom/archive/xmas">Oxford English Dictionary</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-6">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"> Matthew 2:18-25 <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%1:18-2:12;&version=50;">Matthew 1:18-2:12</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-7">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Luke 1:26-38; 2:1-7 <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%1:26-56;&version=50;">Luke 1:26-56</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-8">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"> Luke 2:8-20 <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%202:1-16;&version=50;">Luke 2:1-6</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-9">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"> Matthew 2: 1-12 </span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-10">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Krug, Nora. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://travel2.nytimes.com/2005/11/25/travel/escapes/25ahead.html?ex=1165381200&en=58ee42b3737ff438&ei=5070">"Little Towns of Bethlehem"</a>, <i>The New York Times</i>, November 25, 2005.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Lynch-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">↑ <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Lynch_11-0">11.0</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Lynch_11-1">11.1</a></sup></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.belcherfoundation.org/lynch_v_donnelly.htm"><i>Lynch vs. Donnelly</i></a> (1984)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-12">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Malachi%4:2;&version=50;">Malachi 4:2</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Britannica-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-Britannica_13-0">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9082431/Christmas">"Christmas</a>, <i>Encyclopædia Britannica</i> Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2006.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-CathAnnun-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">↑ <sup><a href="#cite_ref-CathAnnun_14-0">14.0</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-CathAnnun_14-1">14.1</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-CathAnnun_14-2">14.2</a></sup></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01542a.htm">"The Feast of the Annunciation"</a>, <i>Catholic Encyclopedia,</i> 1998.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-15">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">This document was prepared privately for a Roman aristocrat and is named after an artist who illuminated part of it. The reference to Christmas states, <i>VIII kal. ian. natus Christus in Betleem Iudeæ</i>. It is in a section based on an earlier manuscript produced in 336.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-16">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Pokhilko, Hieromonk Nicholas, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://orthodoxeurope.org/page/12/4.aspx">"The Formation of Epiphany according to Different Traditions</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Murray-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">↑ <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Murray_17-0">17.00</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Murray_17-1">17.01</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Murray_17-2">17.02</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Murray_17-3">17.03</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Murray_17-4">17.04</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Murray_17-5">17.05</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Murray_17-6">17.06</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Murray_17-7">17.07</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Murray_17-8">17.08</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Murray_17-9">17.09</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Murray_17-10">17.10</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Murray_17-11">17.11</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Murray_17-12">17.12</a></sup></span> <span class="reference-text">Murray, Alexander, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.historytoday.com/dt_main_allatonce.asp?gid=13022&aid=&tgid=&amid=13022&g13022=x&g9142=x&g30026=x&g20991=x&g21010=x&g19965=x&g19963=x&e=true">"Medieval Christmas"</a>, <i>History Today</i>, December 1986, <b>36</b> (12), pp. 31 - 39.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Durston-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">↑ <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Durston_18-0">18.0</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Durston_18-1">18.1</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Durston_18-2">18.2</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Durston_18-3">18.3</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Durston_18-4">18.4</a></sup></span> <span class="reference-text">Durston, Chris, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.historytoday.com/dt_main_allatonce.asp?gid=12890&aid=&tgid=&amid=12890&g12890=x&g9130=x&g30026=x&g20991=x&g21010=x&g19965=x&g19963=x">"Lords of Misrule: The Puritan War on Christmas 1642-60"</a>, <i>History Today</i>, December 1985, <b>35</b> (12) pp. 7 - 14.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Rowell-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-Rowell_19-0">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Rowell, Geoffrey, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.historytoday.com/dt_main_allatonce.asp?gid=9784&aid=&tgid=&amid=9784&g9784=x&g9777=x&g30026=x&g20991=x&g21010=x&g19965=x&g19963=x">"Dickens and the Construction of Christmas"</a>, <i>History Today,</i> December 1993, <b>43</b> (12), pp. 17 - 24.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-20">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Baker, Chris, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.1914-1918.net/truce.htm">The Christmas Truce of 1914</a>, 1996</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Ganulin-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-Ganulin_21-0">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.becketfund.org/index.php/case/25.html"><i>Ganulin v. United States</i></a> (1999)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-22">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Cohen, Adam. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/04/opinion/04sun3.html?ex=1291352400&en=a1c102d8260b92e3&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">"This season's war cry: Commercialize Christmas, or else."</a> <i>The New York Times,</i> December 5, 2005.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Mikkelson-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-Mikkelson_23-0">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Mikkelson, Barbara and David P., <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/santa.asp">"The Claus That Refreshes"</a>, <i>Snopes.com,</i> 2006.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Harper-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">↑ <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Harper_24-0">24.0</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-Harper_24-1">24.1</a></sup></span> <span class="reference-text">Harper, Douglas, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=Christ">Christ</a>, <i>Online Etymology Dictionary,</i> 2001.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-25">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Robinson, B.A. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.religioustolerance.org/xmas_tree.htm">"All about the Christmas tree: Pagan origins, Christian adaptation, & secular status"</a> <i>ReligiousTolerance.Org,</i> December 13, 2003.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Shaman-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-Shaman_26-0">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">van Renterghem, Tony. <i>When Santa was a shaman.</i> St. Paul: Llewellyn Publications, 1995. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/156718765X" class="internal mw-magiclink-isbn">ISBN 1-56718-765-X</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-27"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-27">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Morris, Desmond. <i>Christmas Watching.</i> London: Mackays of Chatham, 1992. <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/0224035983" class="internal mw-magiclink-isbn">ISBN 0-224-03598-3</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-28"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-28">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">usinfo.state.gov <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://usinfo.state.gov/scv/Archive/2005/Dec/19-344398.html">“Americans Celebrate Christmas in Diverse Ways” November 26, 2006</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-29"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-29">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">First Presbyterian Church of Watertown <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.watertownfirstpres.org/sermons/12-11-05.html">“Oh . . . and one more thing” December 11, 2005</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-30"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-30">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">usinfo.state.gov <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://usinfo.state.gov/scv/Archive/2005/Dec/19-344398.html">“Americans Celebrate Christmas in Diverse Ways” November 26, 2006</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-31"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-31">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">New York Times <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/04/opinion/04sun3.html?ex=1291352400&en=a1c102d8260b92e3&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">“This Season's War Cry: Commercialize Christmas, or Else ”December 4, 2005</a></span> </li> </ol></div></div></span>  </div> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://citizendium.org/wiki/index.php?title=Christmas&oldid=967247">https://citizendium.org/wiki/index.php?title=Christmas&oldid=967247</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Special:Categories" title="Special:Categories">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Pages_using_ISBN_magic_links" title="Category:Pages using ISBN magic links">Pages using ISBN magic links</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:CZ_Live" title="Category:CZ Live">CZ Live</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Religion_Workgroup" title="Category:Religion Workgroup">Religion Workgroup</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Articles_written_in_British_English" title="Category:Articles written in British English">Articles written in British English</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Advanced_Articles_written_in_British_English" title="Category:Advanced Articles written in British English">Advanced Articles written in British English</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:All_Content" title="Category:All Content">All Content</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Religion_Content" title="Category:Religion Content">Religion Content</a></li></ul></div><div id="mw-hidden-catlinks" class="mw-hidden-catlinks mw-hidden-cats-hidden">Hidden categories: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Religion_tag" title="Category:Religion tag">Religion tag</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Suggestion_Bot_Tag" title="Category:Suggestion Bot Tag">Suggestion Bot Tag</a></li></ul></div></div> </div> </div> <div id="mw-navigation"> <h2>Navigation menu</h2> <div id="mw-head"> <nav id="p-personal" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-personal vector-user-menu-legacy" aria-labelledby="p-personal-label" role="navigation" > <h3 id="p-personal-label" class="vector-menu-heading " > <span class="vector-menu-heading-label">Personal tools</span> </h3> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"><li id="pt-login" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=Christmas" title="To edit pages, [[Special:RequestAccount|get a contributor account]]. [o]" accesskey="o"><span>Log in</span></a></li></ul> </div> </nav> <div id="left-navigation"> <nav id="p-namespaces" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-namespaces vector-menu-tabs vector-menu-tabs-legacy" aria-labelledby="p-namespaces-label" role="navigation" > <h3 id="p-namespaces-label" class="vector-menu-heading " > <span class="vector-menu-heading-label">Namespaces</span> </h3> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"><li id="ca-nstab-main" class="selected mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Christmas" title="View the content page [c]" accesskey="c"><span>Page</span></a></li><li id="ca-talk" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Talk:Christmas" rel="discussion" title="Discussion about the content page [t]" accesskey="t"><span>Discussion</span></a></li></ul> </div> </nav> <nav id="p-variants" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-variants emptyPortlet vector-menu-dropdown" aria-labelledby="p-variants-label" role="navigation" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-variants-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-variants" class="vector-menu-checkbox" aria-labelledby="p-variants-label" /> <label id="p-variants-label" aria-label="Change language variant" class="vector-menu-heading " > <span class="vector-menu-heading-label">English</span> </label> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"></ul> </div> </nav> </div> <div id="right-navigation"> <nav id="p-views" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-views vector-menu-tabs vector-menu-tabs-legacy" aria-labelledby="p-views-label" role="navigation" > <h3 id="p-views-label" class="vector-menu-heading " > <span class="vector-menu-heading-label">Views</span> </h3> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"><li id="ca-view" class="selected mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Christmas"><span>Read</span></a></li><li id="ca-viewsource" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Christmas&action=edit" title="This page is protected.
You can view its source [e]" accesskey="e"><span>View source</span></a></li><li id="ca-history" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Christmas&action=history" title="Past revisions of this page [h]" accesskey="h"><span>View history</span></a></li><li id="ca-mzwi" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Christmas&action=mzwi"><span>ZWI Export</span></a></li></ul> </div> </nav> <nav id="p-cactions" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-cactions emptyPortlet vector-menu-dropdown" aria-labelledby="p-cactions-label" role="navigation" title="More options" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-cactions-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-cactions" class="vector-menu-checkbox" aria-labelledby="p-cactions-label" /> <label id="p-cactions-label" class="vector-menu-heading " > <span class="vector-menu-heading-label">More</span> </label> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"></ul> </div> </nav> <div id="p-search" role="search" class="vector-search-box-vue vector-search-box-show-thumbnail vector-search-box-auto-expand-width vector-search-box"> <div> <h3 > <label for="searchInput">Search</label> </h3> <form action="/wiki/index.php" id="searchform" class="vector-search-box-form"> <div id="simpleSearch" class="vector-search-box-inner" data-search-loc="header-navigation"> <input class="vector-search-box-input" type="search" name="search" placeholder="Search Citizendium" aria-label="Search Citizendium" autocapitalize="sentences" title="Search Citizendium [f]" accesskey="f" id="searchInput" > <input type="hidden" name="title" value="Special:Search"> <input id="mw-searchButton" class="searchButton mw-fallbackSearchButton" type="submit" name="fulltext" title="Search the pages for this text" value="Search"> <input id="searchButton" class="searchButton" type="submit" name="go" title="Go to a page with this exact name if it exists" value="Go To Page"> </div> </form> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="mw-panel"> <div id="p-logo" role="banner"> <a class="mw-wiki-logo" href="/wiki/Welcome_to_Citizendium" title="Visit the main page"></a> </div> <nav id="p-Read" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-Read vector-menu-portal portal" aria-labelledby="p-Read-label" role="navigation" > <h3 id="p-Read-label" class="vector-menu-heading " > <span class="vector-menu-heading-label">Read</span> </h3> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"><li id="n-mainpage" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Welcome_to_Citizendium" title="Visit the main page [z]" accesskey="z"><span>Welcome to Citizendium</span></a></li><li id="n-Citable-Articles" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Category:Citable_versions_of_articles"><span>Citable Articles</span></a></li><li id="n-All-Articles" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Category:CZ_Live"><span>All Articles</span></a></li><li id="n-Random-Article" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:RandomInCategory/CZ_Live"><span>Random Article</span></a></li><li id="n-All-Recent-Changes" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:RecentChanges"><span>All Recent Changes</span></a></li></ul> </div> </nav> <nav id="p-About_Us" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-About_Us vector-menu-portal portal" aria-labelledby="p-About_Us-label" role="navigation" > <h3 id="p-About_Us-label" class="vector-menu-heading " > <span class="vector-menu-heading-label">About Us</span> </h3> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"><li id="n-Introduction" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/CZ:About"><span>Introduction</span></a></li><li id="n-FAQ" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/CZ:FAQ"><span>FAQ</span></a></li><li id="n-Policies" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/CZ:Policies"><span>Policies</span></a></li><li id="n-Governance" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/CZ:Governance"><span>Governance</span></a></li></ul> </div> </nav> <nav id="p-Contact_Us" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-Contact_Us vector-menu-portal portal" aria-labelledby="p-Contact_Us-label" role="navigation" > <h3 id="p-Contact_Us-label" class="vector-menu-heading " > <span class="vector-menu-heading-label">Contact Us</span> </h3> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"><li id="n-Enquiries" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/CZ:Enquiry_Form"><span>Enquiries</span></a></li><li id="n-Apply-to-Join" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Help:Index/Join"><span>Apply to Join</span></a></li><li id="n-Personnel" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/CZ:Personnel"><span>Personnel</span></a></li></ul> </div> </nav> <nav id="p-How_To" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-How_To vector-menu-portal portal" aria-labelledby="p-How_To-label" role="navigation" > <h3 id="p-How_To-label" class="vector-menu-heading " > <span class="vector-menu-heading-label">How To</span> </h3> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"><li id="n-Forum" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Forum:Home"><span>Forum</span></a></li><li id="n-Start-Article" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/CZ:Start_Article"><span>Start Article</span></a></li><li id="n-Article-Mechanics" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/CZ:Article_mechanics"><span>Article Mechanics</span></a></li><li id="n-How-to-Edit" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/CZ:How_to_edit_an_article"><span>How to Edit</span></a></li><li id="n-Help" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/CZ:Home"><span>Help</span></a></li><li id="n-More-Help" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Help:Index"><span>More Help</span></a></li></ul> </div> </nav> <nav id="p-Finance" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-Finance vector-menu-portal portal" aria-labelledby="p-Finance-label" role="navigation" > <h3 id="p-Finance-label" class="vector-menu-heading " > <span class="vector-menu-heading-label">Finance</span> </h3> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"><li id="n-Financial-Report" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/CZ:Financial_report"><span>Financial Report</span></a></li><li id="n-Donate" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/CZ:Donate"><span>Donate</span></a></li></ul> </div> </nav> <nav id="p-tb" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-tb vector-menu-portal portal" aria-labelledby="p-tb-label" role="navigation" > <h3 id="p-tb-label" class="vector-menu-heading " > <span class="vector-menu-heading-label">Tools</span> </h3> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"><li id="t-whatlinkshere" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:WhatLinksHere/Christmas" title="A list of all wiki pages that link here [j]" accesskey="j"><span>What links here</span></a></li><li id="t-recentchangeslinked" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:RecentChangesLinked/Christmas" rel="nofollow" title="Recent changes in pages linked from this page [k]" accesskey="k"><span>Related changes</span></a></li><li id="t-specialpages" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:SpecialPages" title="A list of all special pages [q]" accesskey="q"><span>Special pages</span></a></li><li id="t-print" class="mw-list-item"><a href="javascript:print();" rel="alternate" title="Printable version of this page [p]" accesskey="p"><span>Printable version</span></a></li><li id="t-permalink" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Christmas&oldid=967247" title="Permanent link to this revision of this page"><span>Permanent link</span></a></li><li id="t-info" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Christmas&action=info" title="More information about this page"><span>Page information</span></a></li><li id="t-cite" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/index.php?title=Special:CiteThisPage&page=Christmas&id=967247&wpFormIdentifier=titleform" title="Information on how to cite this page"><span>Cite this page</span></a></li></ul> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <footer id="footer" class="mw-footer" role="contentinfo" > <ul id="footer-info"> <li id="footer-info-lastmod"> This page was last modified 12:00, 28 July 2024.</li> <li id="footer-info-copyright"><I>CZ is free</i>. All written content is available under the <a href="https://citizendium.org/wiki/Creative_Commons_CC-by-sa_3.0">Creative Commons-Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported license</a> or any later. Written content that originated in part from Wikipedia is also available under <a class="external" rel="nofollow" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike</a>. <br /> <br /> <a href="https://citizendium.org/wiki/Help:Index">Help</a> • <a href="https://citizendium.org/wiki/CZ:Financial_report">Financial Report</a> • Follow Citizendium on <a href="https://twitter.com/TheCitizendium">Twitter</a> • <a href="https://www.facebook.com/citizendium">Facebook</a></li> </ul> <ul id="footer-places"> <li id="footer-places-privacy"><a href="/wiki/CZ:Privacy_policy">Privacy policy</a></li> <li id="footer-places-about"><a href="/wiki/CZ:About">About Citizendium</a></li> <li id="footer-places-disclaimer"><a href="/wiki/CZ:General_disclaimer">Disclaimers</a></li> </ul> <ul id="footer-icons" class="noprint"> <li id="footer-copyrightico"><a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/"><img src="/wiki/resources/assets/licenses/cc-by-nc-sa.png" alt="Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike" width="88" height="31" loading="lazy"/></a></li> <li id="footer-poweredbyico"><a href="https://www.mediawiki.org/"><img src="/wiki/resources/assets/poweredby_mediawiki_88x31.png" alt="Powered by MediaWiki" srcset="/wiki/resources/assets/poweredby_mediawiki_132x47.png 1.5x, /wiki/resources/assets/poweredby_mediawiki_176x62.png 2x" width="88" height="31" loading="lazy"/></a></li> </ul> </footer> <script>(RLQ=window.RLQ||[]).push(function(){mw.config.set({"wgBackendResponseTime":210});});</script> </body>  </html>