Christmas

Christmas is a holiday observed mostly on December 25 to commemorate the birth of Jesus. The date is not known to be the actual birth date of Jesus, and may have been chosen to correspond with either the day exactly nine months after some early Christians believed Jesus had been conceived, the date of the winter solstice on the ancient Roman calendar, or one of various ancient winter festivals. Christmas Day is celebrated as a major festival and public holiday in most countries of the world, even in many whose populations are not majority Christians. Around the world, Christmas celebrations can vary markedly in form, reflecting differing cultural and national traditions. Countries such as Japan and Korea, where Christmas is popular despite there being only a small number of Christians, have adopted many of the secular aspects of Christmas, such as gift-giving, decorations and Christmas trees. For many Christians, participating in a religious service plays an important part in the recogntion of the season.