50 Awesome Holiday Words to Know this December

The holidays are upon us, and these winter celebrations with their many traditions each have a rich and varied vocabulary.

From Krampus to kinara, latke to plum pudding, frankincense to yule—there’s a whole host of fantastic holiday words to explore.

So broaden your lexicon and enter the holiday spirit with these fifty awesome holiday words!

1Advent:

A Latin word meaning “coming;” the Christian season of expectant waiting and preparation beginning four Sundays before Christmas.

2Bauble:

A small, decorative sphere hung from a Christmas tree.

3Boxing Day:

A British holiday celebrated the day after Christmas; traditionally when servants and tradespeople were given a “Christmas Box” by employers.

4Carol:

A festive song or hymn sung at Christmas.

5Christmas:

A religious and cultural festival celebrating Jesus Christ’s birth that is typically observed on December 25th.

6Chimney:

A hollow structure allowing smoke from an indoor fireplace to vent outside; also Santa Claus’s magical entryway into homes.

7Dreidel:

A four-sided top used by children to play a gambling game during Hanukkah.

8Druid:

A highly-educated priest or professional in the ancient Celtic cultures of Britain and Gaul.

9Eggnog:

An alcoholic drink made with cream, sugar, eggs, and distilled spirits.

10Elves:

Magical, pointy-eared creatures who build toys for well-behaved children.

11Epiphany:

A Christian feast day celebrated on January 6th, commemorating the Magi’s visit to the baby Jesus.

12Father Christmas:

The English personification of Christmas, now synonymous with Santa Claus.

13Feliz Navidad:

A Spanish phrase meaning “Happy Christmas.”

14Frankincense:

An incense symbolizing holiness.

15Gingerbread:

A cookie made with molasses and ginger.

16Grinch:

A grouchy spoilsport who doesn’t enjoy Christmas.

17Hanukkah:

The eight-day “festival of lights” commemorating the rededication of the Jewish temple around 200 B.C. The holiday is celebrated by lighting candles, eating fried foods, playing games, and giving gifts.

18Holly:

An evergreen bush with red berries and prickly leaves used as winter holiday decoration in pagan and Christian traditions.

19Immanuel:

A Hebrew name meaning “God with us.”

20Jolly:

Cheerful and good-humored.

21Kinara:

A candle holder for the seven candles lit during Kwanzaa.

22Krampus:

A half-goat half-demon character of European folklore who punishes misbehaving children during Christmas.

23Kwanzaa:

A seven-day festival celebrating African American cultural heritage, created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966. Festivities include candle lighting, singing, storytelling, poetry reading, and feasting.

24Lapland:

A region in Finland rumored to be where Santa Claus lives.

25Latkes:

Pancakes made of grated potato, fried in oil, and served during Hanukkah.

26Magi:

The Zoroastrian priests of ancient Persia. According to tradition, three of these “wise men” visited the infant Jesus.

27Manger:

An open box or trough holding food for livestock.

28Mele Kalikimaka:

A phonetic translation of “Merry Christmas” into the Hawaiian language.

29Menorah:

A nine-branched candelabrum used during Hanukkah.

30Miracle:

An extraordinary and welcome event, unexplainable by scientific laws.

31Mistletoe:

A parasitic plant with white berries, hung from doorways as a Christmas decoration. People are expected to kiss when standing beneath it.

32Mittens:

Gloves with one opening for the thumb and another for the four fingers.

33Myrrh:

A fragrant oil symbolizing suffering and mortality.

34Nativity:

The place and conditions of a birth; commonly used to refer to the birth of Jesus.

35Naughty:

Badly-behaved. “Naughty” children traditionally received coal from Santa Claus instead of presents.

36Noel:

“The Christmas season”; derived from Old French.

37North Pole:

Believed by many Westerners to be Santa Claus’s home.

38Nutcracker:

A device used to crack open the shells of nuts.

39Plum Pudding:

A steamed Christmas cake resembling a cannonball, filled with dried fruit.

40Poinsettia:

A Mexican shrub first used as a Christmas decoration by Franciscan friars in the 17th century.

41Santa Claus:

A mythical, white-bearded man clad in red who delivers presents to well-behaved children on Christmas Eve; based on legends of the historic Saint Nicholas’s generosity.

42Sleigh:

A sled typically pulled by horses or reindeer.

43Stocking:

A long sock, traditionally filled with small Christmas gifts.

44Tidings:

Breaking news.

45Tinsel:

Slender strips of shiny metallic foil used as Christmas decorations.

46Toboggan:

A long, wooden sled used to coast down snow-covered hills.

47Wassail:

A hot, spiced cider drink, traditionally served to poor carolers by their wealthy neighbors.

48Winter Solstice:

The first day of winter and shortest day of the year (in the Northern Hemisphere).

49Wreath:

A circular arrangement of greenery or flowers.

50Yule:

A pagan festival celebrating rebirth and renewal, held on the winter solstice.

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