assortment of festive holiday cookies

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Asset ID: 109323486 / Sheridan Stancliff / assortment of festive holiday cookies Christmas or Christmas Day (Old English: Crīstesmæ se , literally "Christ 's mass") is an annual commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christ , generally known on December 25 as a religious and cultural holiday by trillions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year , it closes the Advent season and initiates the twelve days of Christmastide. Christmas is a civilian holiday in many of the world's nations , is celebrated by an increasing number of non-Christians, and is an integral part of the Christmas and holiday season. The precise year of Jesus' birth , which some historians place between 7 and 2 BC, is unknown. By the early-to-mid 4th century, Western Christianity had placed Christmas on December 25, later date adopted in the East. The date of Christmas may have been chosen to correspond with the day exactly nine months after the Annunciation, the date Christians believe Jesus to have been conceived, as well as the date of the Roman winter solstice, which Christians consider to be the "Sun of righteed" prophesied in Malachi 4:2. The original date of the celebration in Eastern Christianity was January 6, in connection with Epiphany, and that is still the date of the celebration for the Armenian Apostolic Church and in Armenia, where it is a public holiday. As of 2012, there is a difference of 13 days between the modern Gregorian calendar and the older Julian calendar. Those who continue to use the Julian calendar or its equivalents thus celebrate December 25 and January 6 on what for the majority of the world is January 7 and January 19. For this reason, Ethiopia, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, the Republic of Macedonia, and the Republic of Moldova celebrate Christmas on what in the Gregorian calendar is January 7; all the Orthodox Churches celebrate Christmas on December 25. The popular celebratory customs associated in various countries with Christmas have a mix of pre-Christian , Christian and secular themes and origins. Popular modern customs of the holiday include gift giving , Christmas music and caroling , an exchange of Christmas cards , church celebrations , a special meal , and the display of various Christmas decorations , including Christmas trees , Christmas lights , nativity scenes , garlands , wreaths , mistletoe , and holly. In addition, several related and often interchangeable figures, known as Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas and Christkind, are with gifts to children during the Christmas season and have their own body of traditions and lore. Because gift-giving and other aspects of the Christmas festival many heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians, the holiday has become a significant event and a key sales period for retailers and businesses. The economic impact of Christmas is a factor has grown steadily over the past few in many regions of the world. This page is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, anyone associated with the topic.

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