The word Christmas comes from Cristes maesse, an early English phrase that means Mass of Christ.The word Xmas is sometimes used instead of Christmas. This tradition began in the early Christian church. In Greek, X is the first letter of Christ's name. It was frequently used as a holy symbol. Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. No one knows the exact date of Christ's birth, but most Christians …showed first 75 words of 540 total…

…showed last 75 words of 540 total…States and other countries, Santa Claus replaced Saint Nicholas as the symbol of gift giving. The celebration of Christmas became increasingly important to many kinds of businesses during the 1900's. Today, companies manufacture Christmas ornaments, lights, and other decorations throughout the year. Other firms grow Christmas trees, holly, and mistletoe. Many stores and other businesses hire extra workers during the Christmas season to handle the increase in sales. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography** A brief history of Christmas