How did word Christmas come about?

Answer 1

The word "Christmas" is from "Christ Mass", celebrating the birth of Jesus. The actual holiday may have originally been a Roman or "December solstice" observance, which is less important in equatorial areas than further northward. At least one scholar has noted that the December 25 date is nine months after the Annunciation (March 25), the traditional church celebration of the conception of Jesus.

Answer 2

The word Christmas originated as a compound meaning 'Christ's mass'. It is derived from the Middle English 'Christemasse' and the Old English 'Cristes mæsse', Cristes is from Greek christos and mæsse is from Latin missa.

Answer 3

Christmas is a Christian celebration based on Pagan celebration of Yule, the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. The longest day down under. Yule is celebrated because it signifies that the weather is about to get less cold, the trees and plants will soon grow new shoots, flowers will blossom, animals will have their young, spring is coming and all will be well. It is a natural celebration event around the world, where the weather gets cold.

The "Christmas Tree" is either a sprig or branch, and sometimes a whole small tree, an evergreen tree, brought inside to remind those stuck in the "Cabin" or "Hut" that life goes on, even when the earth is covered by snow. Rather than attempt to convert the pagans to a Christian "God", Christian leaders consciously "stole" pagan celebrations and convinced Pagans that Christianity was a better religion. Easter is also a pagan celebration known as Oystra, and the egg symbolizes new life. Pagans are people of the Earth, who believe in nature, life and good morale behavior just as other religions do. Maybe next year, you might consider celebrating Yule, the 21st December, although in the Southern Hemisphere, it should be the 21st June. Happy Yule everybody!

Answer 4

The word "Christ' is obvious i.e. Jesus. The suffix, 'mas' comes from the Latin 'maesse' - a holy feast, a mass. There are other examples of this combination in the Christian calendar e.g. Michaelmas.

Answer 5

1. The word Christ stems from the Middle and Old English word

Crist meaning the anointed one, the Lord's Anointed.

It is borrowed from the Latin Christus and from the Greek Christos

also meaning the anointed one.

The Greek is a translation of Hebrew mashiach meaning

anointed of the Lord or Messiah.

In the word Christmas, the suffix -mas evolves from the Old English word

maesse meaning festival, feast day or mass.

Answer 6

The word Christmas originated as a compound meaning "Christ masses". It is derived from the Middle English Christmases and Old English Cristes Masse, a phrase first recorded in 1038. "Cristes" is from Greek christos and "masse" is from Latin missa. In early Greek versions of the New Testament, the letter Χ, is the first letter of Christ. Since the mid-16th century Χ, or the similar Roman letter X, has been used as an abbreviation for Christ. Hence, Xmas is often used as an abbreviation for Christmas.

Answer 7

me being the christian I am, I've always believed that it means Christ mas (was) born. Christmas is also called Christ's Mass.

Answer 8

Christ's Mass. The Mass is the main celebration of Christ's sacrifice attended by Christians. Christ's Mass is that performed on the traditional day of his birth.

Answer 9

A Catholic church ceremony is called a mass. On December 25th a mass is held to celebrate the birth of Christ; thus Christ Mass = Christmas.