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Christmas
Christmas
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church
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2000
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© The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church 2000, originally published by Oxford University Press 2000. (Hide copyright information)
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Christmas. The commemoration of Christ's nativity. The earliest mention of its being celebrated on 25 Dec. is in the
Philocalian Calendar, which represents Roman practice in 336. The date was probably chosen to oppose the pagan feast of the
Natalis Solis Invicti by a celebration of the birth of the ‘Sun of Righteousness’. Another tradition derived the date of Christmas from that of the
Annunciation, held to have taken place on the same day of the year as the
Crucifixion and calculated as 25 Mar. After the accession of
Constantine, the observance of 25 Dec. in the W. spread from Rome. In the E. the closely related feast of the
Epiphany (6 Jan.) was at first more important; by the later 4th cent. this commemorated the Nativity as well as the
Baptism of Christ. By the mid-5th cent. most of the E. had adopted 25 Dec.
The day is celebrated in the W. rite by three Masses, of the night (normally at midnight), of the dawn, and of the day.
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 "Post-Tribune (IN)")
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WHAT DOES CHRISTMAS MEAN TO YOU?
Newspaper article from: Post-Tribune (IN); 12/19/1999; 700+ words
; ...PRINTED VERSION. Ask a youngster what Christmas means, and you'll get some interesting...Porter County and DeMotte to tell us what Christmas means to them. Here's what they wrote...Greenlee's class Aaron Betancourt -"Christmas means stuff." Lindsey Brown -"Christmas...
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 "Dominion Post (Morgantown, WV)")
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CHRISTMAS EVE/CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICES.
Newspaper article from: Dominion Post (Morgantown, WV); 12/21/2005; 700+ words
; ...Va. Dec. 21--Cheat Lake Church: Christmas Eve service The Cheat Lake Community...of Tyrone and Tyrone-Avery roads, Christmas Eve service will be held at 8 p.m. There will be no church service on Sunday, Christmas Day. Info: Pastor John Sommers, 594...
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 "Albany Times Union (Albany, NY)")
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christmas services.(Religion)
Newspaper article from: Albany Times Union (Albany, NY); 12/22/2007; 700+ words
; ...Church, Route 7, Hoosick. 686-9037. Christmas Eve: 6:30 p.m. Bethel Baptist Church...2165 Fifth Ave., Troy. 274-4303. Christmas Eve: 6 p.m. Blooming Grove Reformed...Drive, Defreestville. 286-2910. Christmas Eve: 6 p.m. (family) and 11 p...
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CHRISTMAS Services.(Capital Region)
Newspaper article from: Albany Times Union (Albany, NY); 12/23/2005; 700+ words
; ...Albany Contact: 465-5161 Notes: Christmas Eve: 7:30 p.m. spiritual service...of the African-American tradition. Christmas Day: 10 a.m. service. First Baptist...Washington Ave., Rensselaer Notes: Christmas Eve: 6:30 p.m. candlelight service...
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Christmas services.(Religion)(Correction notice)
Newspaper article from: Albany Times Union (Albany, NY); 12/23/2006; 700+ words
; ...Where: 49 Killean Park, Colonie When: Christmas Eve: 9 a.m., 5 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Christmas Day: 11 a.m. Contact: 869-6417...129 Old Loudon Road, Latham When: Christmas Eve: 9 a.m., 4:30 p.m. and 8...
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CHRISTMAS SERVICES.(Religion)
Newspaper article from: Albany Times Union (Albany, NY); 12/20/2008; 700+ words
; ...Lyons Ave., Menands. 463-8217. Christmas Eve: 7 p.m. Bethany Reformed Church...Scotland Ave., Albany. 482-7998. Christmas Eve: Special music program, 7 p.m...85 Elm Ave., Delmar. 439-4328. Christmas Eve: Worship service, 5, 7 and 9...
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Christmas More than a day.(B)(Metropolitan)(Life/Home)
Newspaper article from: The Washington Times; 12/26/2001; ; 700+ words
; ...egg nog and fudge by yesterday evening, but not all Christian cultures end their Christmas celebrations on Christmas Day. In many European countries, the Christmas season stretches from early December until Jan. 6, the feast of the Epiphany...
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 "The Cincinnati Post (Cincinnati, OH)")
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CHRISTMAS THROUGH THE YEARS.(LIVING)
Newspaper article from: The Cincinnati Post (Cincinnati, OH); 12/24/2001; 700+ words
; ...has become quite a collection, hasn't it? Christmas 1941. Hitler and the empire of Japan were...I got a scooter. It was blue and white.Christmas 1945. The first peacetime Christmas since 1940. Rosemary, Betty and I were at...
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 "Western Mail (Cardiff, Wales)")
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Christmas PRESENT.(News)
Newspaper article from: Western Mail (Cardiff, Wales); 10/10/2003; 700+ words
; ...bonfire night, but already the garlanded Christmas trees are on show in the windows of...cards, wrapping paper, gifts and Christmas puddings are already on the shelves. And, for some people, Christmas shopping started months ago with at...
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Christmas services in north county
Newspaper article from: Maryland Gazette; 12/8/2007; 700+ words
; Churches in the area are offering a number of services to celebrate Christmas. Here is a listing of upcoming services for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day: Brooklyn Park St. Athanasius Roman Catholic Church, 4708 Prudence St...
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Christmas
Dictionary entry from: Allusions--Cultural, Literary, Biblical, and Historical: A Thematic Dictionary
110. Christmas Amahl and the Night Visitors lame shepherd boy...custom originating in England of singing songs at Christmas. [Christian Tradition: NCE , 552] Child ’ s Christmas in Wales, A nostalgic remembrance of Welsh Christmases...
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Christmas Drinks
Encyclopedia entry from: Encyclopedia of Food and Culture
CHRISTMAS DRINKS CHRISTMAS DRINKS. Christmas is celebrated at the time of the winter solstice, and in the passage from one year to the next. The hopes and fears triggered by these two dates in the world's calendar have shaped the customs that...
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Christmas Island
Encyclopedia entry from: World Press Encyclopedia
Christmas Island Basic Data Official Country Name: Christmas Island Region (Map name): Oceania Population: 2...N/A Named for the day of its discovery in 1643, Christmas Island is the top of a 50 million-year-old extinct...
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The Christmas Bombing of Hanoi was Justified (1 February 1973, Interview With Henry A. Kissinger)
Dictionary entry from: Dictionary of American History
THE CHRISTMAS BOMBING OF HANOI WAS JUSTIFIED (1 February...Operation Linebacker," the so-called "Christmas Bombing" of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh's...to stalled peace negotiations. The "Christmas bombing" created much shock and anger...
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Christmas Carol, A
Book article from: The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature
Christmas Carol, A, a Christmas book by Dickens , published 1843. Scrooge, an old curmudgeon, receives on Christmas Eve a visit from the ghost of Marley, his late partner in business, and beholds a series of visions, including one of what...
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