Christmas
/ˈkrɪsməs
/noun (plural Christmases)
1The annual Christian festival celebrating Christ’s birth, held on 25 December in the Western Church: he was a vehement sabbatarian and iconoclast, who denounced the observance of Christmas [as modifier]: a Christmas present...
- We asked celebrities in the town about their memories of past Christmases - and asked them how they would be spending the big day this year.
- He had spent the last three Christmases in custody.
- The more Christmases I experience, despite being an agnostic, the more I appreciate the more traditional version.
1.1The period immediately before and after 25 December: we had guests over Christmas...
- On hearing about financial problems striking firemen may face this Christmas, a boy persuaded his mum to buy some gifts for their children.
- He was also thinking about all those Christmases the soldiers had spent away from their families.
- McDonald said that very generally, he wanted to appeal to women on nights out to take particular care this Christmas.
exclamation informal
Expressing surprise, dismay, or despair.
Derivatives
Christmassy
/ adjective ...- The band members were dressed in festive red to complete the Christmassy feel.
- I love the smell of pine and my house is now more Christmassy than ever before.
- It's so good, and easy, and Christmassy, that I thought I'd pass it along to anyone scrounging for a great dessert.
Origin
Old English Crīstes mæsse (see Christ, Mass).