Wiktionary:Word of the day/2023/December 25

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Christmas proper n (also attributive)

(originally Christianity) A festival or holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ and incorporating various Christian, pre-Christian, pagan, and secular customs, which in Western Christianity is celebrated on December 25 (Christmas Day) in most places. (often marketing) Short for Christmas season (“the period of time before and after Christmas Day, during which people prepare for and celebrate Christmas”); Christmastime. [...] Christmas n (informal or British, regional) Sprigs of holly and other evergreen plants used as Christmas decorations; also (generally), any Christmas decorations. Christmas adj (US) Red and green in colour. (chiefly New Mexico, cooking) Of a dish: having a sauce made with red (ripe) and green (unripe) chili peppers. Christmas v (transitive) (informal) To decorate (a place) with Christmas (“sprigs of holly and other evergreen plants used as Christmas decorations, or any Christmas decorations”). (obsolete, rare) To bring (someone) Christmas cheer. (intransitive) To celebrate Christmas. To spend Christmas or the Christmas season in some place. Christmas interj (euphemistic) An expression of annoyance or surprise: Christ, Jesus Christ, Jiminy Cricket, Jiminy Crickets. Merry Christmas from all of us at the English Wiktionary!

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