What is Christmas?

The word itself comes from the Old English, "Cristes maesse" which means "Christ's mass" on which Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.  It is now both a religious and secular holiday. Romans celebrated this festival in AD 336 which coincided with a pagan Roman festival coinciding with the Winter Solstice. It is often celebrated December 25, but a few churches celebrate it January 6th. It is traditionally a celebration of family and children

Many countries use a different terminology for Christmas.  They all mean the same thing.

English: Christmas, Yule, Noel

German: Weihnachten

Finnish: Joulu

Swedish: Jul

Italian: Il Natale

Spanish: La Natividad

French: Noel

In Germany, St. Nick is accompanied by an assistant known by several names including Knecht Ruprecht, Pelzebock, or Krampus.   His job is to punish bad kids and hit them with a rod.

In Holland, St. Nicholas travels with an assistant named Black Peter who takes bad children away.

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