Christmas

Christmas (literally, the Mass of Christ) is a traditional holiday observed on 25 December. It is celebrated by most Christians to mark the birth of Jesus, which is believed to have occurred in Bethlehem in the Roman Province of Judea between 6 BC and AD 6. Christ's birth, or nativity, was said by his followers to fulfill the prophecies of Judaism that a messiah would come to redeem the world from sin. Efforts to decide upon a date on which to celebrate his birth began some centuries later.

Christmas has also acquired many secular aspects, which are sometimes celebrated more often than the birth of Jesus. Many Christmas traditions originated with pre-Christian observances that were syncretised into Christianity. Examples of this process are the northern European Yule, and the Winter Solstice celebration found in many older as well as recent pagan celebrations.

In Western countries, Christmas has become the most economically significant holiday of the year. It is largely characterized by gifts being exchanged between friends and family members, and the appearance of Santa Claus. Various local and regional Christmas traditions are still practised, despite the widespread influence of American and British Christmas motifs disseminated by globalization, popular literature, television, and other media.

The word Christmas is a contraction of Christ's Mass, derived from the Old English Cristes mæsse. It is often abbreviated Xmas, probably because X resembles the Greek letter Χ (chi) which has often historically been used as an abbreviation for Christ (Χριστός in Greek).

Although he is an alien, the Doctor has apparently developed a fondness and appreciation for the celebration of Christmas, and his companions Sara Kingdom and Steven Taylor both seemed familiar with it, indicating that Christmas observances still existed until at least the 41st century.

Doctor Who stories set during or associated with Christmas

Television stories

• "The Feast of Steven," episode 7 of "The Daleks' Master Plan"
• "The Unquiet Dead"
• "The Christmas Invasion"
• "The Runaway Bride"

Prose stories

Novels

• "Christmas on a Rational Planet"

Short Stories

• "Short Trips: A Christmas Treasury"
  • Last Christmas
  • UNIT Christmas Parties: First Christmas
  • In the TARDIS: Christmas Day
  • Water's Edge
  • Who The Dickens?
  • Spookasem
  • Christmas Special
  • Never Seen Cairo
  • The Man Who (Nearly) Killed Christmas
  • Last Minute Shopping
  • Every Day
  • The Eight Doctors of Christmas
  • The Little Things
  • UNIT Christmas Parties: Christmas Truce
  • The Clanging Chimes of Doom
  • Perfect Present
  • Present Tense
  • Goodwill Toward Men
  • It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow
  • All Our Christmasses
  • Lily
  • A Yuletide Tail
  • Be Forgot
  • The Feast of Seven, Eight (and Nine)
  • UNIT Christmas Parties: Ships that Pass
  • Evergreen
  • Linking Material
• "The History of Christmas"