We think of Christmas as December 25. But we also sing, "On the first day of Christmas", "On the second day of Christmas", etc.

That raises two obvious questions. Is Christmas one day, or twelve? And which day(s)?

25th Dec to 5th Jan. There is some Biblical reason but not being religious I can't remember what it is.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...ve_Days_of_Christmas

The word is a foreshortened "Chisties Mass" Catholic mythology mixed in with other mythologies.

Then we've got this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelfth_Night

Then of course there is the Advent Calendar.

For the same reason that older folks still use the term Yuletide for the Xmas season, I suppose. So, 24 December is assumed to be the nativity of Jesus, the 1 January marks the circumcision of Jesus (the bris, or brit milah, eight days after birth), and 6 January (the twelfth day) is the Epiphany (showing Jesus off to the Persian magi). Some Christians celebrate Xmas on 24 December, some on 25th December, and yet others on 6 January. The holiday was probably chosen to co-opt the Saturnalia festival of Pagan Rome.

I do suspect the Saturnalia was a lot more fun.

You are right, zmj, that some call it Yuletide . In looking it up, it seems to be more of a pagan term. That connotation has changed, hasn't it?

The English word, tide is cognate with German Zeit "time". It narrowed in meaning.

Yeah, yule[ is a Germanic word for the time around Winter Solstice.