Three years ago, I wrote a blog that explained how Xmas — contrary to the belief of a local pastor — was not an attempt to eliminate “Christ” from Christmas. Rather, the X was an abbreviated reference to Jesus. I noted that in Greek (the language used in the New Testament) the word for Christ — Christos — begins with the letter x or chi. Fully spelled, the name looks like this: Χριστός.
In this blog, I will focus on the origins of four other words that concern Christmas in one way or another: Nativity, Advent, Carol, and Noel.
Nativity: The Nativity is the portrayal of the Holy Family at the time of Jesus’ birth. At a minimum, it will have Mary, Joseph, and the Christ child, with the baby lying in a rough-hewn cradle. Quite often, other major characters from the Christmas story are included: the three wisemen, one or more shepherds and their sheep, and an angel, sometimes portrayed hovering above the other characters. Besides the sheep, a nativity scene might have other animals, especially a donkey, to remind us of the animal that brought Mary and Joseph to the manger in the first place. As for the manger itself, it’s usually depicted as a barn-like structure, though much smaller than a barn. Some nativity scenes put the manger and the characters in an imaginative setting such as on a music box or in a snow globe. However it is presented, the Nativity reminds us of the original Christmas story and the foundation it provides to Christian faith.
Advent is a season observed in most Christian denominations as a time of waiting and preparation for the celebration of Jesus’ birth at Christmas. The name comes from the Latin adventus, meaning coming or arrival. It starts on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, sometimes called Advent Sunday. Practices associated with Advent include maintaining Advent calendars, praying an Advent daily devotional, erecting a Christmas tree, lighting the candles of an Advent wreath, and a hanging of the “greens” ceremony.
I have some experience with advent wreaths since my wife and I have one of our own. There are four candles — three purple and one pink — surrounding a white candle in the center. The first candle represents hope, the second, peace, the third, which is pink, joy, and the fourth, love. On Christmas day, the white candle in the center is lit, reminding us of the light Christ brought into a dark world.
Carol: A Christmas carol is a song or hymn on the theme of Christmas, traditionally sung at Christmas itself or during the holiday season. While many modern carols have happy lyrics and modern upbeat tempos, their origins go back hundreds of years.
The word carol stems from a French word “carole” referring to a ring dance which was performed by Franciscan friars as early as the fourth century. Dancers (or carollers) would dance around and sing verses to accompanying music. By the fifteenth century, carol had evolved to mean just a song rather than a reference to the ring dance.
Noel: This is a French word, meaning birth, especially the birth of Christ. It can be traced back to the Latin word natalis, which can mean “birthday” as a noun or “of or relating to birth” as an adjective. Noels were being sung in Latin or French for centuries before English-speakers started using the word to refer to Christmas carols in the 18th century. An early use of noel (spelled nowell) to mean “Christmas” can be found in the text of the late 14th-century Arthurian legend Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
Christmas is a wonderful time of the year, but it does bring added tasks and responsibilities. So, this will be the only post for December. I’ll try to write at least two posts a month in 2026. I hope anyone reading this blog has a safe, joyous, and fun holiday season.