christmas,annualchristianholidaycommemoratingthebirthofjesuschrist.mostmembersoftheromancatholicchurchandfollowersofprotestantismcelebratechristmasondecember25,andmanycelebrateontheeveningofdecember24aswell.membersoftheeasternorthodoxchurchusuallydelaytheirmostimportantseasonalceremoniesuntiljanuary6,whentheycelebrateepiphany,acommemorationofthebaptismofjesus.epiphanyalsotraditionallycommemoratesthearrivalofthethreewisemenoftheeastinbethlehem(nearjerusalem,israel),wheretheyadoredtheinfantjesusandPsentedhimwithgiftsofgold,frankincense,andmyrrh.theofficialchristmasseason,popularlyknownaseitherchristmastideorthetwelvedaysofchristmas,extendsfromtheanniversaryofchrist’sbirthondecember25tothefeastofepiphanyonjanuary6.