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Glite Dictionary
Christmastide

Christmastide

1 8.8
The time from December 24 to January 6 when people celebrate Christmas
  • noun
  • /ˈkrɪs·məsˌtaɪd/
  • Archaic
: Navidad
  • Many people decorate their homes to celebrate the joy of Christmastide.

Examples

  • Christmastide is upon us.

    Nosferatu (2024)

  • During Christmastide 1921, Dan Cranmer, a Nimkish Kwakiutl from Alert Bay on the coast of British Columbia, hosted a five-day ceremony of dances and gift giving.

    Academic text (1991)

  • During Christmastide, families gather to share meals and exchange gifts.

  • The church held special services to mark the beginning of Christmastide.

Synonyms

Christmastime
vsChristmastide
28 1.0

A time around Christmas when people celebrate and give gifts

is the precise named period defined strictly by December 24 to January 6
Yuletide
vsChristmastide
  • Archaic
15 7.4

The Christmas season around late December and early January

is the traditional label for that exact date range
Yule
vsChristmastide
  • Archaic
12 9.6

The festive time from late December to early January with old traditions

is the modern conventional term used in general seasonal observance
Noel
vsChristmastide
6 3.7

A Christmas season from December 24 to January 6

is the established term for that same date range used in tradition
Christmas
vsChristmastide
6 1.0

The time from December 24 to January 6 when people celebrate the holiday

is the general seasonal label without specifying calendar status

How Long

holiday season
106 1.0
Christmastide
  • Archaic
1 8.8
Christmas Day
88 1.0
Christmas Eve
189 1.0

Surface Forms

Christmastide singular
Christmastides plural

Morphology

Christmastide = Christmas (transparent) = Christmas + tide

The word is clearly formed from 'Christmas' + 'tide' (a noun meaning a time/season), yielding 'the Christmas season', which learners can derive from the parts.

Etymology

The word Christmastide comes from Christmas ('Christ's Mass', a church service) and the old English word tid seen as -tide, which means 'time' or 'season' and appears in Yuletide. So, Christmastide simply means the time or season of Christmas.