**Where does the word "Christmas" come from?
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Christmas = Christ - Mass = "The Mass of Christ"- _ g* ^3 S" J9 F, ^% u
Christ = Jesus Christ) z: \( q! z8 R% }- L
"Mass" = Roman Catholic religious Church service of "mass".
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6 {( t l' m' |; R) g& X. p The word "mass" probably comes from the last words of the service of"mass", which are "you are dismissed" = "missa est" in Latin. From theLatin word "missa" comes the English word "mass"6 \2 ~6 ?7 X+ u8 h! q
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** Why is December 24th called "Christmas Eve"?
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( _7 D0 N5 p! S: ]0 ?& n& P* s/ D, R5 N: p In old times, days started at sunset. So the evening of the day, the "eve" happened first.
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Then we changed to days starting at midnight. Now the "eve" is eveningof the previous day. So "Christmas Eve" is the day before Christmas. 0 P2 I+ `# p5 s+ ?2 a& G, a
" x9 z) s: M7 s& W( E" e- Q X ** What does the phrase "Boxing Day" mean?
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- V' P8 M: v! | The day after Christmas day when presents are given to extended family and friends.
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- K& g- w) U8 |$ J, N4 T Possibly dating from the Middle Ages when the householder would givepresents to the servants and tradesmen. It is a public holiday in someCommonwealth countries.0 j& X) y6 w5 L* s+ B) {
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** Why does the word "Bethlehem" refer to?3 r A; L5 J$ O* M
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A small town in Judea near Jerusalem, where King David was born and the birthplace of Jesus.: w; \. e1 h0 V* }7 X7 Q
) X; N; H A0 f' C1 Q ** What are the Christmas songs called?
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# i0 w/ _" a. ]# M Christmas Carols - Carols, song used in celebrations and dances, written for and sung at Christmas. |
發表於 2007-12-25 08:21:11
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