What is the expanded meaning of Christmas?
1 : a Christian feast on December 25 or among some Eastern Orthodox Christians on January 7 that commemorates the birth of Christ and is usually observed as a legal holiday. 2 : christmastide. Other Words from Christmas Example Sentences Learn More About Christmas.
What is the true meaning of Noel?
English speakers borrowed the word noel from French. It can be traced further back to the Latin word natalis, which can mean “birthday” as a noun or “of or relating to birth” as an adjective. (The English adjective natal has the same meaning and is also an offspring of natalis.).
What does the word Christmas mean in Christianity?
The traditionally Christian holiday is a celebration of the birth of the baby Jesus in Bethlehem to Joseph and the Virgin Mary. The English term “Christmas” comes from the combination of the words “mass” and “Christ,” according to the Encyclopedia Britannica.
What is the origin of Christmas?
One widespread explanation of the origin of this date is that December 25 was the Christianizing of the dies solis invicti nati (“day of the birth of the unconquered sun”), a popular holiday in the Roman Empire that celebrated the winter solstice as a symbol of the resurgence of the sun, the casting away of winter and …
Does Noël mean joy?
Noel or Noël comes ultimately from the Latin natalis via Anglo-Norman and Middle French. Originally an exclamation of joy at the birth of Christ, in the middle ages it was also used to refer to the Christmas period.
Why is Noël related to Christmas?
It comes from French Nöel—the French way of saying “Merry Christmas” is Joyeux Noël. Both Nativity and Noel reference the birth of Jesus and ultimately come from the Latin verb nāscī, meaning “to be born.” The English word natal (meaning “relating to a person’s birth”) is also based on this root.
Who Named Christmas Day?
St. Nicholas first entered American popular culture in the late 18th century in New York, when Dutch families gathered to honor the anniversary of the death of “Sint Nikolaas” (Dutch for Saint Nicholas), or “Sinter Klaas” for short. “Santa Claus” draws his name from this abbreviation.
