クリスマス

• Reading: クリスマス
• Romaji: kurisumasu
• Pronunciation: /kɯ.ɾi.sɯ.ma.sɯ/

Meaning

Christmas. The annual holiday celebrated on December 25th.

A loanword from English 'Christmas.' In Japan, Christmas is primarily a commercial and romantic holiday rather than a religious one. クリスマスイブ (Christmas Eve) is especially significant as a date night. Common compounds include クリスマスツリー (Christmas tree) and クリスマスプレゼント (Christmas present).

Examples

1. クリスマスにケーキを食べるのは日本の習慣だ。 Eating cake on Christmas is a Japanese custom.
2. 今年のクリスマスプレゼントは何がいい。 What do you want for a Christmas present this year?
3. 街はクリスマスの飾りできれいだった。 The city was beautifully decorated for Christmas.

Usage Guide

Context: holidays, seasonal events, gift-giving

Tone: cheerful

Origin & History

Borrowed from English 'Christmas.' Christmas celebrations became popular in Japan during the early 20th century, initially through department store promotions.

Cultural Context

Era: Taisho era

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal