Jeeze, guys. It seems clear to me that a lot of the discussion is precipitated by bot recognizing that one word has two definitions, and people talk at cross purposes when they don't make it clear which one they intend.

Christmas is a shortened form of "Christ Mass" which is by doctrine the recognition of the Christian prophet's birth day. It was not his actual birthday, as far as I know, but it s the decreed celebration.

It is also a national civil holiday denoted by gift exchange, weird lighting effects, a mad rush for pine trees, and the worship of an overweight animal-abuser with a whip who hides out in the North Pole.

Happy Holidays to you, too.

And by the way, it is faintly ridiculous to insist on parsing the word "holiday" to its original meaning of "holy day". These days it means a spot the painter missed or a long week in the Canaries.

A