The name Christmas is short for“Christ's Mass”。A Mass is a kind of Church service。Christmas is a religious festival。It is the day we celebrate as the birthday of Jesus。
There are special Christmas services in Christian churches all over the world。But many of the festivities of Christmas do not have anything to do with religion。Exchanging gifts and sending Christmas cards are the modern ways of celebrating the Christmas in the world。
The birth of Jesus had a story：In Nazareth，a city of Galilee。The virgin's name was Mary who was betrothed to Joseph。Before they came together，she was found with child of the Holy Spirit。Joseph，her husband was minded to put her away secretly。While he thought about these things，Gabriel，an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and told him do not be afraid to take Mary as wife。And Mary will bring forth a Son，and he shall call his name，Jesus，for he will save his people from their sins。
Before Jesus's birth，Joseph and Mary came to Quintus who was governing Syria。All went to be registered，everyone to his own city。Joseph also went up out of Galilee，out of the city of Nazareth，into Judea，to the city of David，which is called Bethlehem，because he was of the house and of the lineage of David，to be registered with Mary，his betrothed wife，who was with child。So it was that while they were there，the days were completed for her to be delivered。And she brought forth her firstborn son，and wrapped him in swaddling cloths，and laid him in a manger，because there was no room for them in the inn。
And that，Christmas is the feast of the nativity of Jesus，is on 25th，December every year。But nobody knows the actual birthday of Jesus。And the Christmas has become popular when Christmas cards appeared in 1846 and the concept of a jolly Santa Claus was first made popular in nineteenth Century。
Cultural celebrations of Christmas include glittering light displays，the ever-present jolly old Santa Claus，group celebrations and singing called carolling，baked holiday cookies and cakes，decorations of mistletoe and pine wreaths，lighted，ornamented Christmas trees with wrapped presents displayed underneath。
In Europe，typically，family and friends gather together on Christmas Eve，on Dec 24，for a big turkey dinner，completed with Christmas pudding（a rich cake with brandy source）。Everyone shares their stories of the year or brings a newsletter to read out for what has happened during the past year。Games are played after the dinner。On Christmas day，Dec 25，a brunch with family is the norm，followed by some light sporting events，such as a country walk，to digest the heavy food。
Dec。26 is called Boxing Day in the UK，which means everyone opens their box of presents-the most joyful day for the children。In the US，having just celebrated Thanksgiving with turkey，Christmas Eve dinner is more likely to have ham on the menu with a heavy dessert。
The tradition of having a pine tree as a Christmas tree is believed to come from Germany。Since the medieval time，lighting a candle on a tree is common to welcome guests。Such practice has evolved into the Christmas celebration。
The formal Christmas tree was introduced to England about 100 years ago when Queen Victoria married German Albert。The evidence of Victoria's love for Albert is not only expressed through inheriting the German tradition of having a Christmas Tree but also through the gold Albert Statues that Victoria had ordered built for Albert，standing in many places in London。In America，the Christmas tree idea was brought by German immigrants too。
The custom of sending Christmas cards was initiated in England around 1850.The first cards were decorated with elaborate designs of flowers，birds and landscapes。
As for Saint Nicholas，or Santa Claus，the story goes back to the third century。
Legend has it，Saint Nicholas dedicated all his life to helping mankind，especially children。
He died on December 6，which marks the Saint Nicholas Day in many European countries and that was when gifts were given to children。
He also arrives on different dates to deliver presents to children in different countries，typically from chimneys。The chimney story was this：Santa flew over house tops in a sleigh，he dropped coins by accident and he landed in some stockings hanging next to the fireplace to dry。From then on，red stockings were hung by the chimney in hopes Santa would fill them with gifts。
Most countries use fabric stocking while in others，wood shoes are also placed on earth for Santa's gift-dropping。In America，the image of Santa Claus was conceived by the famous poem“The Night Before Christmas”，written by Clement Moor。Moor transformed the Santa character from a saint in a long robe to a chubby，rosy-cheeked elderly man in a red suit，riding on a sleigh pulled by a team of reindeer。
“圣诞节”这个名称是“基督弥撒”的缩写。弥撒是教会的一种礼拜仪式。圣诞节是一个宗教节日，我们把它当作耶稣的诞辰来庆祝，因而又名耶诞节。
这一天，世界所有的基督教会都会举行特別的礼拜仪式，但是有很多圣诞节的欢庆活动和宗教并没有半点关联。交换礼物、寄圣诞卡，这都使圣诞节成为一个普天同庆的日子。
耶稣的出生是有一段故事的，耶稣是因着圣灵成孕，由圣女玛利亚所生的。神派遣使者加伯列在梦中晓谕约瑟，叫他不要因为玛利亚未婚怀孕而不要她，反而要与她成亲，把那孩子起名为“耶稣”，意思是要他把百姓从罪恶中救出来。
当玛利亚快要临盆的时候，罗马政府下了命令，全部人民务必到伯利恒申报户籍。约瑟和玛利亚只好遵命。他们到达伯利恒时，天色已昏，无奈两人未能找到旅馆过夜，只有一个马棚可以暂住。就在这时，耶稣要出生了！于是玛利亚唯有在马槽上，生下耶稣。后人为纪念耶稣的诞生，就将12月25日定为圣诞节，年年做弥撒，纪念耶稣的出世。
圣诞节定于12月25日以纪念耶稣的诞生，但真实的诞生日就没有人知道了。19世纪，随着圣诞卡的流行、圣诞老人的出现，圣诞节也开始流行起来了。
圣诞传统的庆祝活动和内容有很多，如闪闪发光的圣诞灯饰、喜气洋洋的圣诞老人、集体庆祝活动、圣诞颂歌、节日甜点、用槲寄生（一种装饰性植物——译者注）和松针做成的花环装饰、挂有各种亮闪闪的饰物的圣诞树以及树下包装好的精美的圣诞礼物。
欧洲传统的庆祝方式主要为：12月24日，平安夜，很多家庭和亲戚、朋友聚在一起，吃火鸡大餐。该大餐一般以圣诞布丁（一种有果酱夹心的蛋糕——译者注）作为最后一道甜点。人们互相分享一年来发生的有意思的故事。晚饭后还会有一些活动和游戏。12月25日圣诞节这天，很多家庭一般会在一起吃早午餐，然后做一些强度较小的运动，如户外散步等，用以消化太过丰盛的食物。
在英国，12月26日被称为节礼日，这是孩子们最喜欢的一天。人们在这天会打开他们的礼品盒，互赠礼物。在美国，因为已在感恩节吃过火鸡，平安夜丰富多样的圣诞大餐多以火腿为主。
把松树作为圣诞树的传统普遍认为来自德国。自中世纪以来，在树上点蜡烛成为欢迎客人的一种习俗。这种习俗后来就演变成了圣诞聚会。
正规的圣诞树大约100年前传入英格兰。当时，维多利亚女王嫁给了德国人阿尔伯特。女王很爱阿尔伯特，这一点显而易见——英格兰不仅继承了从德国传来的圣诞树的传统，女王还下令为阿尔伯特建造了许多金制塑像，耸立在伦敦许多地方。美国圣诞树的传统也由德国移民传入境内。
送圣诞卡片的风俗则是1850年左右从英格兰开始的。最初的卡片大多以鲜花、小鸟以及风景等图案精心设计而成。
至于圣诞老人（原名圣·尼古拉斯）的起源，则要追溯至3世纪。
据说，圣·尼古拉斯终其一生致力于帮助人类，尤其是孩子。他死于12月6日，许多欧洲国家后来便把这一天作为圣诞老人日，也就是给孩子们送礼物的日子。
在不同的国家，圣诞老人给孩子们送礼物的时间也有所不同，但相同的一点是孩子们普遍认为圣诞老人通过烟囱为他们送来礼物。关于烟囱的故事来源是这样的：圣诞老人驾着雪橇飞过房顶时，不小心掉了一些硬币。于是，他就落在挂在壁炉边等待晾干的那些长筒袜上。从那以后，红色长筒袜就常被挂在烟囱上，希望圣诞老人能够在里面塞满礼物。
许多国家用针织长筒袜，而在另外一些国家，人们会把一些木制的鞋子放在地上，用来让圣诞老人放礼物。在美国，圣诞老人的形象来源于Clement Moor 那首著名的《平安夜》，由诗中身穿红色长袍、脸颊微红、乘一辆由一队驯鹿拉的雪橇的微胖老圣徒的形象转化而来。
Betroth v。将某人许配给；订婚
Lineage n。宗系；世系；血统
Swaddle v。用长布条包裹（婴儿）
Manger n。（牛、马的）食槽
Evolve v。进化，发展
Initiate v。发起，创始
Conceive v。构想，构思
A：Merry Christmas！
B：The same to you！
A：Are you doing anyting special？
B：We're having some friends over。What are you doing？
A：Oh，I'm going to make a solid Christmas dinner。Then I will decorate the Christmas tree。
B：Oh，it is a busy day for you，by the way，what food are you going to make？
A：Just some trational food for Christmas，like turkey，cookies and so on。
