The Christmas season is a term that covers the time when two interconnected periods of celebration are held.

In many countries, Christmas season refers to the period of the year approaching Christmas when businesses (particularly those who sell and manufacture things that could be given as gifts) prepare for the massive buying rush that the holiday generates. Although there is no official beginning to the Christmas season, in some countries it is marked by annual Christmas parades and the arrival of Santa Claus such as at the end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in the U.S. The day after Thanksgiving, retailers generally have sales and special events encouraging people to start buying their gifts.

Christmas season is also known as Christmastide, one of six seasons of the year in the liturgical year of some Christian churches; namely, the period which runs from Christmas Day to January 6, the start of the octave of Epiphany. This period is also commonly known as the Twelve days of Christmas, as referred to in the Christmas carol "Twelve Days of Christmas". During the season various festivites are traditionally enjoyed and buildings decorated. In some countries, by superstition it is bad luck to leave the decorations up after Twelfth Night.

The term Winterval has been used to try to coin a culturally independent name for all mid-winter festivities regardless of origin. This has however produced accusations of it being an attempt to secularise Christmas. [1]

See also

• Christmas
• Liturgical year
• Holiday season
• Giftmas
• Winterval