christmas

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "Christmas" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it when referencing the Christian holiday or festive season that is celebrated from 25th December to 5th January and usually contains traditions such as gift-giving, decorations, and carol singing. For example: "Every Christmas, our family goes out together to pick out a tree for the holidays."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Lifestyle

Travel

Sports

Opinion

Books

Tech

Music

Film

UK News

Society

Money

Education

Small Business

Culture

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

The third group had the condoms, the advice and the counselling, but the gel was a placebo, containing no active ingredient.In this section Davy Jones's lock-up Girls on top Dashed hopes An early Christmas present?

The Economist

I have instructed that they be relocated to Christmas Island as soon as possible".

The Guardian

BMDH on Dodger I hadn't read any of Terry Pratchett's books before, but when my granddad bought this book for me for Christmas I got straight into it.

The Guardian

You try out a new social network, you love love LOVE it, and you've got a couple of hundred million lying around so you treat yourself to it as a late Christmas present.

The Guardian - Opinion

Why not create an atmospheric, wintry scene of your own using model railway figures and miniature Christmas trees?

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"East Coast is particularly sorry, too, for the inconvenience to its customers as a result on what we know is an already very busy travel day immediately following the Christmas break.

The Guardian - Business

"I am accountable for the railways and the performance [over Christmas] was not acceptable so I have decided that I should not take my bonus this year," he told Sky News.

The Guardian

We won't be able to provide Christmas lunch for the homeless now and about 50 people who were sleeping here will be homeless over Christmas.

The Guardian

"I know nothing about their condition, but it has led to lockdown conditions on Christmas Island," Trigg said.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

The pre-Christmas Mandelson crisis and the fight over the Euro-elections bill delayed the announcement, Mr Ashdown concedes.

The Guardian

It is the lack of reorders pre-Christmas that makes the profit shortfall visible now - rather than a wave of returns," he said.

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about "Christmas", consider your audience and the tone you want to convey. Use "Christmas" when referring specifically to the Christian holiday or the broader festive season associated with it. Be mindful of cultural sensitivities and use inclusive language when appropriate.

Common error

Instead of solely relying on generic terms like "Happy Holidays", specify "Merry Christmas" to those who celebrate it, demonstrating cultural awareness and sensitivity. This avoids potentially alienating or overlooking specific traditions.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "Christmas" is as a proper noun, designating a specific holiday. Ludwig indicates its common use across various contexts. As a proper noun, it requires capitalization.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

10%

Lifestyle

5%

Less common in

Travel

5%

Sports

3%

Opinion

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "Christmas" is a proper noun designating the Christian holiday celebrated on December 25th. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and very commonly used across diverse contexts, especially in news and media. The primary function is to reference this specific cultural and religious holiday, and its register is generally neutral. When writing about "Christmas", remember to be mindful of cultural sensitivities and consider the specific tone you wish to convey. Common alternative phrases include "Christmas season" and "Yuletide".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Christmas season

Refers to the period surrounding Christmas, emphasizing the festive atmosphere and traditions.

Christmas time

Similar to "Christmas season", highlighting the temporal aspect of the holiday.

Christmastime

A single-word version of "Christmas time", emphasizing the festive period.

Christmas Day

Specifically refers to the 25th of December, the day Christmas is celebrated.

Noel

A synonym for Christmas, often used in carols or formal contexts.

Yuletide

An older term for the Christmas season, often evoking traditional or historical contexts.

Festive season

A broader term encompassing the holiday period around Christmas and New Year's.

Holiday season

A more general term that can include other holidays beyond Christmas.

The holidays

A common shorthand for the period encompassing Christmas and New Year's.

Winter holidays

Highlights the season in which Christmas occurs, encompassing various winter celebrations.

FAQs

How can I use "Christmas" in a sentence?

"Christmas" is used to refer to the annual Christian festival celebrating Christ's birth, often associated with cultural traditions like gift-giving and decorating. For example, "We always decorate the tree on "Christmas Eve"".

What is another way to say "Christmas"?

Alternatives to "Christmas" include "Yuletide", "Noel", or "the holidays", depending on the context and desired tone.

Is it correct to say "Christmastime"?

Yes, "Christmastime" is a correct and commonly used alternative to "Christmas time". Both refer to the period around Christmas.

What is the difference between "Christmas" and "the holiday season"?

"Christmas" specifically denotes the Christian holiday. "Holiday season" is a broader term encompassing various holidays celebrated around the same time, including Christmas, "Hanukkah", and "Kwanzaa".