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|nickname=Christ's Mass<br /> [[Nativity of Jesus|Nativity]]<br /> [[Noel]]<br />Feast of the Nativity
|observedby=Christians<br />Many non-Christians<ref name="nonXians">[http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/entertainment/scripts/multifaith_christmas.pdf Christmas as a Multi-faith Festival]—BBC News. Retrieved September 30, 2008.</ref>
generally observed on [[December 25]] (with alternative days of January 6, 7 and 19<ref>Several traditions of [[Eastern Christianity]] that use the [[Julian calendar]] also celebrate on December 25 according to that calendar, which is now January 7 on the [[Gregorian calendar]]. Armenian Churches observed the nativity on January 6 even before the Gregorian calendar originated. Most Armenian Christians use the Gregorian calendar, still celebrating Christmas Day on January 6. Some Armenian churches use the Julian calendar, thus celebrating Christmas Day on January 19 on the Gregorian calendar, with January 18 being Christmas Eve.▼
|date=December 25<br />January 6 (in most of [[Armenia]] and the [[Armenian diaspora]])<br>January 19 [[Old Style and New Style dates|(N.S.)]] in parts of Armenia<br>and the Armenians of [[Jerusalem]] and the [[Holy Land]]<br> January 7 [[Old Style and New Style dates|(N.S.)]]<ref name="Jan7">{{cite web |url=http://www.copticchurch.net/topics/coptic_calendar/nativitydate.html |title=The Glorious Feast of Nativity: 7 January? 29 Kiahk? 25 December? |publisher=Coptic Orthodox Church Network |first=John |last=Ramzy |accessdate=January 17, 2011}}
</ref> (in most [[Eastern Orthodox]] and some [[Oriental Orthodox]] Churches)<ref name=4Dates />
|observances=Gift giving, [[church service]]s, family and other social gatherings, symbolic decorating
|type=Christianity
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[http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/LivingintheUK/DG_073741 Bank holidays and British Summer time] — ''HM Government''. Retrieved November 27, 2009.
</ref>
▲generally observed on [[December 25]] (with alternative days of January 6, 7 and 19<ref>Several traditions of [[Eastern Christianity]] that use the [[Julian calendar]] also celebrate on December 25 according to that calendar, which is now January 7 on the [[Gregorian calendar]]. Armenian Churches observed the nativity on January 6 even before the Gregorian calendar originated. Most Armenian Christians use the Gregorian calendar, still celebrating Christmas Day on January 6. Some Armenian churches use the Julian calendar, thus celebrating Christmas Day on January 19 on the Gregorian calendar, with January 18 being Christmas Eve.
</ref>)
to commemorate [[Nativity of Jesus|the birth]] of [[Jesus]], the central figure of [[Christianity]].<ref>[http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/christmas Christmas], ''[[Merriam-Webster]]''. Retrieved October 6, 2008.<br />[http://www.webcitation.org/query?id=1257008234358079 Archived] 2009-10-31.
</ref><ref name="CathChrit">[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03724b.htm "Christmas"], ''[[The Catholic Encyclopedia]]'', 1913.
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However, today, whether or not the birth date of Jesus is on December 25 is not considered to be an important issue in mainstream [[Christian denominations]];<ref name="Joan Chittister, Phyllis Tickle">{{cite book|url = http://books.google.com/?id=inhMGc5732kC&pg=PT40&dq=date+of+christmas+important#v=onepage&q=date%20of%20christmas%20important&f=false| title = The Liturgical Year|publisher = [[Thomas Nelson (publisher)|Thomas Nelson]]|quote=Christmas is not really about the celebration of a birth date at all. It is about the celebration of a birth. The fact of the date and the fact of the birth are two different things. The calendrical verification of the feast itself is not really that important...What is important to the understanding of a life-changing moment is that it happened, not necessarily where of when it happened. The message is clear: Christmas is not about marking the actual birth date of Jesus. It is about the Incarnation of the One who became like us in all things but sin (Heb. 4:15) and who humbled Himself "to the point of death-even death on a cross" (Phil. 2:8). Christmas is a pinnacle feast, yes, but it is not the beginning of the liturgical year. It is a memorial, a remembrance, of the birth of Jesus, not really a celebration of the day itself. We remember that because the Jesus of history was born, the Resurrection of the Christ of faith could happen. |accessdate = 2009-04-02|isbn = 9780849901195|date = 2009-11-03}}</ref><ref name="Voice-Christmas">{{cite web|url = http://www.crivoice.org/cyxmas.html| title = The Christmas Season|publisher = CRI / Voice, Institute|accessdate = 2009-04-02}}</ref><ref name="Harvard University">{{cite book|url = http://books.google.com/?id=x_kBAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA469&dq=date+of+christmas+unimportant#v=onepage&q=date%20of%20christmas%20unimportant&f=false| title = The School Journal, Volume 49|publisher = [[Harvard University]]|quote=Throughout the Christian world the 25th of December is celebrated as the birthday of Jesus Christ. There was a time when the churches were not united regarding the date of the joyous event. Many Christians kept their Christmas in April, others in May, and still others at the close of September, till finally December 25 was agreed upon as the most appropriate date. The choice of that day was, of course, wholly arbitrary, for neither the exact date not the period of the year at which the birth of Christ occurred is known. For purposes of commemoration, however, it is unimportant whether the celebration shall fall or not a the precise anniversary of the joyous event.|accessdate = 2009-04-02|year = 1894}}</ref> rather, celebrating the coming of [[Holy Trinity|God]] into the world in the [[Incarnation (Christianity)|form of man]] to [[Atonement in Christianity|atone]] for the [[sin]]s of humanity is considered to be the primary meaning of Christmas.<ref name="Joan Chittister, Phyllis Tickle"/><ref name="Voice-Christmas"/><ref name="Harvard University"/>
 
====Orthodox Christian Churches====
[[Eastern Orthodox]] national churches, including those of [[Russian Orthodox Church|Russia]], [[Georgian Orthodox Church|Georgia]], [[Ukrainian Orthodox Church|Ukraine]], [[Macedonian Orthodox Church|Macedonia]], [[Montenegro]], [[Serbian Orthodox Church|Serbia]] and the [[Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem|Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem]] mark feasts using the older [[Julian Calendar]]. December 25 on that calendar currently corresponds to January 7 on the more widely used [[Gregorian calendar]]. However, other Orthodox Christians, such as the churches of [[Greek Orthodox Church|Greece]], [[Romanian Orthodox Church|Romania]], [[Antiochian Orthodox Church|Antioch]], [[Orthodox Church of Alexandria|Alexandria]], [[Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania|Albania]], [[Orthodox Church of Finland|Finland]] and the [[Orthodox Church in America]], among others, began using the [[Revised Julian Calendar]] in the early 20th century, which corresponds exactly to the Gregorian Calendar. These Orthodox Churches celebrate Christmas on the same day as [[Western Christianity]]. [[Oriental Orthodox]] churches also use their own calendars, which are generally similar to the Julian calendar. The [[Armenian Apostolic Church]] celebrates the nativity in combination with the [[Feast of the Epiphany]] on January 6. Armenian churches customarily use the Gregorian calendar, but some use the Julian calendar and thus celebrate Christmas Day on January 19, and Christmas Eve on January 18 (according to the Gregorian calendar).<ref name=4Dates>▼
{{About||details on religious observances|Christmas Eve}}
 
▲[[Eastern Orthodox]] national churches, including those of [[Russian Orthodox Church|Russia]], [[Georgian Orthodox Church|Georgia]], [[Ukrainian Orthodox Church|Ukraine]], [[Macedonian Orthodox Church|Macedonia]], [[Montenegro]], [[Serbian Orthodox Church|Serbia]] and the [[Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem|Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem]] mark feasts using the older [[Julian Calendar]]. December 25 on that calendar currently corresponds to January 7 on the more widely used [[Gregorian calendar]]. However, other Orthodox Christians, such as the churches of [[Greek Orthodox Church|Greece]], [[Romanian Orthodox Church|Romania]], [[Antiochian Orthodox Church|Antioch]], [[Orthodox Church of Alexandria|Alexandria]], [[Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania|Albania]], [[Orthodox Church of Finland|Finland]] and the [[Orthodox Church in America]], among others, began using the [[Revised Julian Calendar]] in the early 20th century, which corresponds exactly to the Gregorian Calendar. These Orthodox Churches celebrate Christmas on the same day as [[Western Christianity]]. [[Oriental Orthodox]] churches also use their own calendars, which are generally similar to the Julian calendar. The [[Armenian Apostolic Church]] celebrates the nativity in combination with the [[Feast of the Epiphany]] on January 6. Armenian churches customarily use the Gregorian calendar, but some use the Julian calendar and thus celebrate Christmas Day on January 19, and Christmas Eve on January 18 (according to the Gregorian calendar).<ref name=4Dates>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.sacred-destinations.com/israel/bethlehem-christmas
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