C H R I S T M A S

WHAT DOES THE WORD "CHRISTMAS" MEAN?

The modern English word Christmas comes from the Old English Christes Maesse (Christ Mass), the name of the service of Holy Communion that commemorates Christ's birth. Familiar names for Christmas in other languages -- Navidad (Spanish), Natale (Italian), Natal (Portuguese), and Noël (French) -- are derived from Dies Natalis, Latin for "Day of the Birth."