Christmas phrases usually seem in our crosswords even exterior of the season. The phrase Christmas can typically be clued as ‘Noël’, ‘Yuletide’, or ‘Present-giving occasion’.

Noël is a French phrase from the Latin nātālis that means ‘a birth’. ‘Natale domini’ is one other Latin phrase associated to nātālis, that means ‘birth of the Lord’. The given identify Natalie derives from natale domini and is a well-liked identify for infants born on or close to Christmas.

‘Yuletide’ is an old style time period used to explain the interval of a number of days round and together with Christmas Day. It’s considered a late Middle English time period and isn’t as widespread anymore. ‘Yule’ is claimed to come back from the Old English geōla, initially a reputation of a pagan feast lasting 12 days; associated to Old Norse jōl, Swedish jul, Gothic jiuleis. It’s maybe extra recognisable because the yuletide log – each the scrumptious dessert and the literal log of wooden used to ceremonially start the Christmas seas.

‘Present-giving occasion’ is certainly a favorite mind-set and speaking about Christmas.  In the Christian custom, giving items on Christmas is symbolic of the items given to child Jesus by the Three Wise Men, but it surely additionally has rather more historical roots. In historical Rome, reward giving occurred throughout the winter solstice in December, which was celebrated throughout the Saturnalia vacation. There’s additionally the custom of the Twelve Days of Christmas, also called Twelvetide, the place Christmas Day is taken into account the primary day of Christmas and it winds up on January 5 – or, Twelfth Night.

From all of us at Lovatts, we hope your gift-giving season is stuffed with pleasure (and possibly one or two journal subscriptions). Merry Christmas!