12月25日，是基督教徒纪念耶稣诞生的日子，称为圣诞
节。
从12月24日于翌年1月6日为圣诞节节期。节日期间，各国基督教徒都举行隆重的纪念仪式。圣诞节本来是基督教徒的节日，由于人们格外重视，它便成为一个全民性的节日，是西方国家一年中最盛大的节日，可以和新年相提并论，类似我国过春节。
西方人以红、绿、白三色为圣诞色，圣诞节来临时家家户户都要用圣诞色来装饰。红
色的有圣诞花和圣诞蜡烛。绿色的是圣诞树。它是圣诞节的主要装饰品，用砍伐来的杉、
柏一类呈塔形的常青树装饰而成。上面悬挂着五颜六色的彩灯、礼物和纸花，还点燃着圣
诞蜡烛。
红色与白色相映成趣的是圣诞老人，他是圣诞节活动中最受欢迎的人物。西方儿童在
圣诞夜临睡之前，要在壁炉前或枕头旁放上一只袜子，等候圣诞老人在他们入睡后把礼物
放在袜子内。在西方，扮演圣诞老人也是一种习俗。
回答者： 幻想2001 - 门吏 二级 12-21 09:59
Christmas
The Feast of Christmas
It is not easy to pin-point the origins of the Christmas feast, today the more important feast of the Christmas season in most western Christian churches. One can only say for certain that the birth of Jesus Christ was being celebrated in Rome by the year 336 A.D.; afterwards the feast was celebrated in other Christian churches throughout the world.
Why it was celebrated on December 25th is another question. No date for the birth of Jesus can be found in the New Testament, which is concerned more with the question "Who is Jesus?" than the date of his birth. Early Christian speculation about his birth date was influenced by the symbolism of the changing seasons, then popular in religious thought, which paid careful attention to the equinoxes and solstices of the sun. Christian scholars speculated that Jesus was conceived at the spring equinox (March 25th) and therefore was born on December 25th, the date of the winter solstice.
In many of the Christian churches, March 25th is still the Feast of the Annunciation, when the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she was to be the mother of Jesus.
Possible impluse for the feast of Christmas may have came too from the establishment of the pagan feast of the "Unconquered Sun-God" by the Emperor Aurelian in 274 A.D. to be celebrated on December 25, the day of the winter solstice in Rome and throughout the empire. In response, Christians could celebrate the feast of the "Sun of righteousness" (Malachi 4,2), Jesus Christ, who called himself " the light of the world."
Father Christmas
It is said that in the year of 300 AD, there was a kind old man and his name was Saint Nicholas. He was always ready to help the poor and often gave presents to them.
Today, Father Christmas is an imaginary figure, but nearly all young children believe in him. They think he is a happy old man with a long white beard and a long red robe.
On the night of the twenty-fourth of December every year, Father Christmas from some cold northern land comes down the chimney of the fireplace to put presents by the beds of children or to fill their stockings. So when children go to bed that night, they hang up their stockings, and on Christmas morning they wake to find them full of presents. Of course, it's really their parents who fill the stockings.
Another name for Father Christmas is Santa Claus.
参考资料：chq0621
回答者：木原正树 - 大魔法师 九级 10-7 09:04
这篇不难的，可以参考：）~
For today's Christian, the origin of Christmas is, and should be, the birth of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Bible. Nothing more and nothing less. However, most of what we witness on December 25th each year has absolutely nothing to do with that blessed day, which probably occurred in late summer or early fall about 2,000 years ago. In fact, most of the customs and traditions of Christmas actually pre-date the birth of Jesus, and many of them are downright deceptive in their meaning and origin. Anyway, who cares when Christ was born?
Christmas Day,the 25th of December,is the biggest festival(节日)celebrated in the Christian countries of the world.Although everyone enjoys Christmas Day,it is particularly enjoyed by children,who get very excited because of the presents they know they are going to receive.Small children believe that their presents are brought by Father Christmas(圣诞老人).Father Christmas is a kind of old man who,the children are told,lives at the North Pole.He travels through the sky on a sleigh(雪撬) which is pulled by reindeers(驯鹿) and loaded with(装满) presents.Stopping on the roof of houses,he enters by climbing the chimney(烟囱).When small children go to bed on Christmas Eve,they hang a stocking at the end of their beds.Their parents warn them not to try to look at Father Christmas,or he will not leave them anything.When they wake,they find their stockings filled with presents.Children are very excited on Christmas morning and always wake up early.
Christmas is also a family celebration.As any members of the family as possible gather to eat,play party games and watch the special Christmas programmes on TV.
回答者： 13760551 - 进士出身 八级 10-7 09:07
People send each other cards and give gifts to their families and friends. In homes and in stores, evergreen trees glitter with colorful lights and ornaments. Children look forward to seeing a jolly, white-bearded man in a red suit named Santa Claus.
It all can mean just one thing: It’s the season of Christmas, a holiday celebrated every year on December 25.
WHAT IS CHRISTMAS?
Christmas is a Christian holiday. It commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ more than 2,000 years ago. Christian churches hold religious services to celebrate Christmas. At midnight on Christmas Eve, most churches hold special candlelight services.
But Christmas is also a social and family holiday. It is a festival of goodwill, a time for family, friends, food, and gift-giving.
Many Americans share Christmas cookies, decorate their homes, and place presents under the family Christmas tree. Children often hang up stockings for Santa Claus to fill with small gifts. According to tradition, Santa arrives on a sleigh pulled by reindeer. Presents are usually opened on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
THE STORY OF CHRIST’S BIRTH
The story of Christ’s birth comes mainly from the New Testament of the Bible, a holy book of Christianity. According to the Bible, Joseph and his wife, Mary, traveled from Nazareth to the town of Bethlehem. The town’s inn had no room for them, even though Mary was expecting a child. Her baby was born in a stable and placed in a manger, a criblike holder for animal feed.
In the fields near Bethlehem, an angel appeared before shepherds who were guarding their flocks. The angel told the shepherds that a holy child named Jesus Christ had been born. Other angels appeared and sang. After the angels had gone, the shepherds went to Bethlehem to see the child.
Three Wise Men came from the east looking for a newborn king. They followed a bright, guiding star called the Star of Bethlehem. It led them to Christ in the manger. There, they knelt in worship before the baby Jesus and gave him gifts.
TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
The official Christmas season is popularly known as the Twelve Days of Christmas. It extends from the anniversary of Christ’s birth on December 25 to the feast of Epiphany on January 6. The Epiphany honors Jesus’ baptism and the arrival of the Three Wise Men in Bethlehem.
THE ROOTS OF CHRISTMAS
No one knows exactly when Jesus Christ was born. For many years, local Christian churches celebrated Christ’s birth at different times. Then, in the ad 300s, the Roman Catholic Church set the birth date at December 25.
At that time, older non-Christian festivals were celebrated around Christmas. The Romans celebrated Saturnalia, a festival honoring their god of harvest and god of light. Other Europeans held festivals in mid-December marking the end of the harvest season. The Roman Catholic Church probably chose December 25 to give a Christian meaning to these older festivals.
The Orthodox Church, the Christian church in the east, also began using December 25 as the birth date of Jesus. But the Orthodox Church places more importance on celebrating Jesus’ baptism on January 6.
CHRISTMAS GIFTS
The custom of exchanging gifts at Christmas comes from the ancient Romans. During Saturnalia, the Romans exchanged tokens of good luck. Later, it became customary for Romans to exchange more valuable gifts, such as clothes or jewelry. The Biblical story of the Three Wise Men who presented gifts to baby Jesus also shaped this Christmas custom.
CHRISTMAS TREES
The tradition of the Christmas tree came to North America from Germany. Long ago, Germans began decorating evergreen trees in their homes at Christmas. They trimmed their trees with fruits, cookies, and lighted candles. German immigrants to the United States brought this custom with them in the 1800s.
Before Christian times, ancient people used evergreens for decoration and religious ceremonies. Because evergreens do not die in the winter, they came to symbolize eternal life.
STAR OF BETHLEHEM
The Star of Bethlehem is one of the oldest symbols of Christmas. A star traditionally sits atop Christmas trees. Stars are used for many other Christmas decorations, too.
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
Lighted candles have always been a part of Christmas celebrations. The candles represent Jesus Christ, who the Bible calls “the light of the world.” Today, most people decorate their homes and yards with electric lights in place of candles.
MISTLETOE AND HOLLY
The custom of decorating with mistletoe at Christmastime dates to the Romans. They thought of mistletoe as a symbol of peace. They believed enemies would resolve their differences when they met beneath it. The Christmas custom of kissing under the mistletoe is thought to come from this ancient belief.
Holly, too, is a popular Christmas decoration. Its sharp, pointed leaves are considered a symbol of Christ’s crown of thorns. Christ wore the crown when he was crucified (nailed to a cross).
CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD
Each part of the world has its own Christmas traditions. In many countries, gifts are exchanged on January 6 to mark the Epiphany. On January 5, the eve of the Epiphany, children in Spain leave grain in their shoes for the Wise Men’s camels. The next morning, they find small gifts in place of the grain.
In Mexico, singing children parade from house to house in a tradition called posadas. They ask for shelter, like Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem before Jesus’ birth. The children are turned away at many doors before they are finally invited in. Then, everyone enjoys a large meal, singing, and dancing.
In the southern part of the world, in places like Australia, Christmas arrives in summer. Australians often celebrate Christmas with a beach picnic! And Santa’s sleigh is said to be pulled by eight kangaroos!
参考资料：
http://zhidao.baidu.com/question/14213130.html