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Observance of Christmas in various locations around the world. The observance of Christmas around the world varies by country. The day of Christmas, and in some cases the day before and the day after, are recognized by many national governments and cultures worldwide, including in areas where Christianity is a minority religion.
Saint Nicholas's traditional name day is on 6 December; it is however Saint Nicholas's Eve, the day before, which is the focus of celebrations in the Netherlands. In the south and east of the Netherlands, Carnival is celebrated on the three days before Ash Wednesday. The earliest possible date is on 1 February, the latest possible date is 9 March.
The English word Christmas is a shortened form of 'Christ's Mass'. [3] The word is recorded as Crīstesmæsse in 1038 and Cristes-messe in 1131. [4] Crīst (genitive Crīstes) is from the Greek Χριστός (Khrīstos, 'Christ'), a translation of the Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (Māšîaḥ, 'Messiah'), meaning 'anointed'; [5] [6] and mæsse is from the Latin missa, the celebration of the ...
Christmas has been celebrated since at least the 4th century CE, the first known usage of any Christmas greeting dates was in 1534. [70] " Merry Christmas and a happy new year " (thus incorporating two greetings) was in an informal letter written by an English admiral in 1699.
Until 1770, the Christmas holidays included 2nd day of Christmas and Epiphany on 6 January (celebrated on the eve of 5 January). Afterwards, only 1st and 2nd Christmas Day are holidays, and 6 January is now a celebration day. The first Christmas tree in Copenhagen was lit in Ny Kongensgade in 1811. Christmas trees became popular among the ...
The poems made during the celebration and the songs the children sing relate to Odin as the god of the arts of poetry. It's celebrated on December 5 or 6. Christmas. Among the Dutch, Christmas (which lasts two days) is a time of togetherness. Gifts are generally not exchanged. Usually it is celebrated with ones direct, and not extended, family ...
In the 1770s the New York Gazetteer noted that the feast day of "St. a Claus" was celebrated "by the descendants of the ancient Dutch families, with their usual festivities." [56] In a study of the "children's books, periodicals and journals" of New Amsterdam, the scholar Charles Jones did not find references to Saint Nicholas or Sinterklaas. [57]
Adoration of the Shepherds by Dutch painter Matthias Stomer, 1632. Christmastide, also known as Christide, is a season of the liturgical year in most Christian churches.. For the Catholic Church, Lutheran Church, Anglican Church, Methodist Church and some Orthodox Churches, Christmastide begins on 24 December at sunset or Vespers, which is liturgically the beginning of Christmas Day.