CHRISTMAS

[noun] [not after the] - (the period just before and after) 25 December, a Christian holy day which celebrates the birth of ChristPeople usually visit their families at Christmas. [U]Three Christmases ago there was a power cut. [C]The Twelve Days of Christmas is the period from 25 December to 6 January and is a time of celebrations.Happy Christmas and Merry Christmas are traditional greetings.(UK) A Christmas box is a small present, esp. of money, given at Christmas to the people who deliver the post, milk etc. to your house during the year.(UK and ANZ) Christmas cake is a cake containing a lot of dried fruit and nuts with icing (= a white sugar covering) made to be eaten at Christmas.A Christmas card is a decorated card sent to someone at Christmas with good wishes.(UK) A Christmas cracker (US bonbon) is a tube of brightly coloured paper given at Christmas parties which makes a noise when pulled apart by two people and contains a small present, a paper hat and a joke.On Christmas Day, 25 December, people have a special meal.Christmas Eve is 24 December, the day before Christmas Day.(UK and ANZ) Christmas pudding (US, UK also plum pudding) is a type of cake, traditionally dark brown, ball-shaped and made with a lot of dried fruit, which is cooked by steaming and is eaten hot at the end of the meal, esp. on Christmas Day.See picture: DessertsA Christmas stocking is a type of large sock which children leave out when they go to bed on Christmas Eve so that it can be filled with small presents.Christmas-time (old use Christmastide) is the period just before and after Christmas Day.A Christmas tree is a real or artificial fir tree which is decorated with things such as coloured balls and kept esp. in the house at Christmas.