What does the name Christmas mean?

Christ comes from the Greek word Χριστός (Khrīstos), which is a translation of the word from hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (Māšîaḥ). This when translated into English means "Messiah". As for "Mas" this is actually a shortened version of mass. This is derived from the Latin word "missa".

How did Christmas start?

The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine (he was the first Christian Roman Emperor). A few years later, Pope Julius I officially declared that the birth of Jesus would be celebrated on the 25th December.

Why is it called Christmas?

Christmas is also sometimes known as Xmas. Some people don't think it's correct to call Christmas 'Xmas' as that takes the 'Christ' (Jesus) out of Christmas. (As Christmas comes from Christ-Mass, the Church service that celebrated the birth of Jesus.)

What was Christmas called before it was called Christmas?

The pre-Christian Germanic peoples—including the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse—celebrated a winter festival called Yule, held in the late December to early January period, yielding modern English yule, today used as a synonym for Christmas.