page_title: Christmas and holiday season
section_title: Feast of the Nativity: Christmas
hierarchical_section_title: Christmas and holiday season / History / Feast of the Nativity: Christmas
caption_attribution_description: An Advent wreath (foreground) and Christmas pyramid
context_page_description: The Christmas season, also called the holiday season, or the festive season, is an annually recurring period recognized in many Western and other countries that is generally considered to run from late November to early January. It is defined as incorporating at least Christmas, usually New Year, and sometimes various other holidays and festivals. It also is associated with a period of shopping which comprises a peak season for the retail sector and a period of sales at the end of the season. Christmas window displays and Christmas tree lighting ceremonies when trees decorated with ornaments and light bulbs are illuminated are traditions in many areas.
  In the denominations of Western Christianity, the term "Christmas season" is considered synonymous with Christmastide, which runs from December 25 to January 5, popularly known as the 12 Days of Christmas.
context_section_description: The earliest source stating December 25 as the date of birth of Jesus was Hippolytus of Rome (170–236), written very early in the 3rd century, based on the assumption that the conception of Jesus took place at the Spring equinox which he placed on March 25, and then added nine months. There is historical evidence that by the middle of the 4th century the Christian churches of the East celebrated the birth and Baptism of Jesus on the same day, on January 6 while those in the West celebrated a Nativity feast on December 25 (perhaps influenced by the Winter solstice); and that by the last quarter of the 4th century, the calendars of both churches included both feasts. The earliest suggestions of a feast of Baptism of Jesus on January 6 during the 2nd century comes from Clement of Alexandria, but there is no further mention of such a feast until 361 when Emperor Julian attended a feast on January 6 in the year 361.
  In the Christian tradition, the Christmas season is a period beginning on Christmas Day (December 25). In some churches (e.g. the Lutheran Churches and the Anglican Communion) the season continues through Twelfth Night, the day before the Epiphany, which is celebrated either on January 6 or on the Sunday between January 2 and 8. In other churches (e.g. the Roman Catholic Church) it continues until the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which falls on the Sunday following the Epiphany, or on the Monday following the Epiphany if the Epiphany is moved to January 7 or 8. If the Epiphany is kept on January 6, the Church of England's use of the term Christmas season corresponds to the Twelve Days of Christmas, and ends on Twelfth Night.
  This short Christmas season is preceded by Advent, which begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day: the majority of the commercialized Christmas and holiday season falls during Advent. The Anglican Communion follows the Christmas season with an Epiphany season which lasts until Candlemas (February 2), which is traditionally the 40th day of the Christmas–Epiphany season; in the Lutheran Churches and the Methodist Churches, Epiphanytide lasts until the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday.
caption: An Advent wreath and Christmas pyramid adorn a dining table.
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