Portal:Christmas

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The Christmas Portal

Christmas or Christmas Day is a holiday observed mostly on December 25 to commemorate the birth of Jesus, the central figure of Christianity. The date is not known to be the actual birthday of Jesus, and may have initially been chosen to correspond with either the day exactly nine months after some early Christians believed Jesus had been conceived, the date of the winter solstice on the ancient Roman calendar, or one of various ancient winter festivals. Christmas is central to the Christmas and holiday season, and in Christianity marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days.

Although nominally a Christian holiday, Christmas is also widely celebrated by many non-Christians, and many of its popular celebratory customs have pre-Christian or secular themes and origins. Popular modern customs of the holiday include gift-giving, music, an exchange of greeting cards, church celebrations, a special meal, and the display of various decorations; including Christmas trees, lights, garlands, mistletoe, nativity scenes, and holly. In addition, Father Christmas (or Santa Claus) is a popular folklore figure in many countries, associated with the bringing of gifts for children.

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Satellite image of the nor'easter
The Christmas 1994 nor'easter was an intense macro-scale cyclone along the East Coast of the United States and Atlantic Canada. It developed from an area of low pressure in the southeast Gulf of Mexico near the Florida Keys, and moved across the state of Florida. As it entered the warm waters of the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic Ocean, it began to rapidly intensify, exhibiting signs of tropical development, including the formation of an eye. It attained a pressure of 970 millibars on December 23 and 24, and after moving northward, it came ashore near New York City on Christmas Eve. Due to the uncertain nature of the storm, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) did not classify it as a tropical cyclone. The U.S. East Coast was affected by high winds, minor coastal flooding, and beach erosion. New York State and New England bore the brunt of the storm; damage was extensive on Long Island and throughout southeastern New York. In Connecticut, 130,000 households lost electric power during the storm. Widespread damage and power outages were also observed throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts, where the storm generated 30-foot (9.1 m) waves along the coast.

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Bob Hope in The Ghost Breakers trailer.JPG
My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?



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"It Came Upon the Midnight Clear", Length: 4 minutes 25 seconds
"It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" is a poem and Christmas carol written by Edmund Sears, pastor of the Unitarian Church in Weston, Massachusetts. It first appeared on December 29, 1849 in the Christian Register in Boston.

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WikiProject HolidaysWikiProject FestivalsWikiProject Religion

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Christmas ornaments are decorations (usually made of glass, metal, wood or ceramics) that are used to festoon a Christmas tree. Ornaments take many different forms, from a simple round ball to highly artistic designs. Ornaments are almost always reused year after year, rather than purchased annually, and family collections often contain a combination of commercially produced ornaments and decorations created by family members.
Credit: User:Nevit
Christmas ornaments are decorations (usually made of glass, metal, wood or ceramics) that are used to festoon a Christmas tree. Ornaments take many different forms, from a simple round ball to highly artistic designs. Ornaments are almost always reused year after year, rather than purchased annually, and family collections often contain a combination of commercially produced ornaments and decorations created by family members.

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Christmas 1994 nor'easter • "Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo" • List of Christmas number one singles (UK)

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Baby Jesus theftChristmas in the post-War United StatesNativity sceneThe Nightmare Before Christmas • "A Benihana Christmas" • Christmas tree cultivation • "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire"

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Christmas tree

MainChristmas Eve · Christmas Day · Boxing Day · History · The Nativity · Bringers of gifts · Decorations · Economics · Customs

ChristianityNativity of Jesus · Nativity of Jesus in art · Nativity scene · Nativity of Jesus in later culture · Jesus Christ · Mary · Joseph · Angel Gabriel · Adoration of the Shepherds · Three Wise Men · Star of Bethlehem · King Herod · Massacre of the Innocents · Saint Nicholas · Twelfth Night · Epiphany · Advent · Christmastide Father Christmas · Santa Claus · Mrs. Claus · Santa Claus's elfs · Santa Claus's reindeer · Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer · Sinterklaas · Père Noël · Joulupukki · Ded Moroz  · La Befana · Christkind · Black Peter · Krampus · Belsnickel · Le Père Fouettard · North Pole · Santa's workshop · Korvatunturi · Other characters

FolkloreFather Christmas · Santa Claus · Mrs. Claus · Santa Claus's elfs · Santa Claus's reindeer · Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer · Sinterklaas · Père Noël · Joulupukki · Ded Moroz  · La Befana · Christkind · Black Peter · Krampus · Belsnickel · Le Père Fouettard · North Pole · Santa's workshop · Korvatunturi · Other characters

TraditionsTwelve Days of Christmas · Christmas trees · Wassailing · Yule log · Stockings · Ornaments · Lights · Nutcrackers · Christmas cards · Christmas songs · Christmas films · Christmas stamps  · A Visit from St. Nicholas · A Christmas Carol · NORAD Tracks Santa · Secret Santa · Advent calendars · Yule Goats · Santa Claus parades · Flying Santa · Christmas markets · Plants · Food · Feasts · Events · Parades · German · Philippine · Polish · Serbian · Ukrainian · Miners' parades · Miner's figures · Candle arches · Christmas pyramids · Smoking figures · Incense candles

MediaFiction · Films · Plays · Episodes · Specials · Albums · Best-selling albums · Hit singles and tracks · Best-selling singles · Carols · Other Christmas music and songs

SocietyChristmas club · Christmas controversy · Christmas creep · Christmas Mountains · Christmas truce · Christmas in various language · Black Friday · Cyber Monday · White Christmas · Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004 · Christmas and holiday season · Related holidays · List of winter festivals · SantaCon · Running of the Santas · Christmas in July · Christmas in August · Christmas in the American Civil War · Christmas in Puritan New England · Christmas in the post-War United States

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December 2015 calendar

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 2 3 4 5
6
Saint Nicholas Day
(Liturgical Calendar)
Hanukkah begins at Sunset
7 8 9 10 11 12
13
Saint Lucia Day
14
Hanukkah ends at Sunset
15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22
Winter Solstice (NH)
Summer Solstice(SH)
Yule begins
Chele/Yalda (Persian calendar)
23
Humanlight

Festivus
24
Christmas Eve (Christian)
25
Christmas Day
(Christian)
26
La an Dreolin (Ireland)
Kwanzaa begins
Boxing Day
27
Uwiha Ch'uyay (Bolivia)
28
Dia de Innocentadas (Spain, Latin America)
29 30
Rizal day (Philippines)
31
New Years Eve (Gregorian calendar)
Hogmanay (Scotland)

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Associated Wikimedia

Christmas on Wikinews     Christmas on Wikiquote     Christmas on Wikibooks     Christmas on Wikisource     Christmas on Wiktionary     Christmas on Wikimedia Commons
Wikinews:Holidays
Wikiquote:Category:Holidays and observances
Wikibooks:Holidays
Portal:Christmas
Wiktionary:holiday
Commons:Category:Holidays
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