Christ"mas (?), n. [Christ +
mass.] An annual church festival (December 25) and in
some States a legal holiday, in memory of the birth of Christ,
often celebrated by a particular church service, and also by
special gifts, greetings, and hospitality.
Christmas box. (a) A box
in which presents are deposited at Christmas.
(b) A present or small gratuity given to
young people and servants at Christmas; a Christmas gift. --
Christmas carol, a carol sung at, or
suitable for, Christmas. -- Christmas day.
Same as Christmas. -- Christmas
eve, the evening before Christmas. --
Christmas fern (Bot.), an evergreen
North American fern (Aspidium acrostichoides), which is
much used for decoration in winter. -- Christmas
flower, Christmas rose, the black
hellebore, a poisonous plant of the buttercup family, which in
Southern Europe often produces beautiful roselike flowers
midwinter. -- Christmas tree, a small
evergreen tree, set up indoors, to be decorated with bonbons,
presents, etc., and illuminated on Christmas eve.