Across
- 2. Shift of Christmas celebrations from streets to the home
- 3. Roman December festival known for feasting and gift-giving
- 4. Store that introduced Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
- 5. Traditional date chosen to celebrate the birth of Jesus
- 10. Period that enabled mass-produced Christmas goods
- 11. Period when Christmas feasting and revelry increased
- 12. Record of children’s behavior associated with Santa
- 15. Gospel that includes the Star of Bethlehem and the Magi
- 17. Story of Jesus’ birth described in the New Testament
- 18. Year Christmas was banned in Massachusetts Bay Colony
- 20. Customs passed down that evolve over time
- 22. Gospel that describes shepherds visiting the newborn Jesus
- 24. Town identified as Jesus’ birthplace
- 25. Term describing pre-Christian religious traditions
- 29. Social group that reshaped Christmas into a family holiday
- 31. Items hung to receive gifts, linked to St. Nicholas legends
- 33. Christian belief that God became human in Jesus
- 35. Religious groups who criticized and opposed Christmas celebrations
- 36. Santa’s legendary home introduced through illustration
- 38. Wise men who brought gifts to Jesus according to tradition
- 40. what you call a kid who gets nothing for Christmas
Down
- 1. Animals said to pull Santa’s sleigh
- 2. Businesses that helped commercialize Christmas
- 6. Fourth-century bishop known for secret gift-giving
- 7. Illustrator who popularized Santa’s modern appearance
- 8. Vehicle Santa uses to deliver gifts
- 9. Roman god celebrated on December 25 as the “Unconquered Sun”
- 13. Ancient Northern European winter solstice festival lasting twelve days
- 14. The shortest day of the year, marking the return of longer daylight
- 16. Famous holiday song popularized during World War II
- 19. Large log burned during Norse winter celebrations
- 21. Industry that promoted Santa as a marketing figure
- 23. Light source used in ancient winter rituals to push back darkness
- 26. Group that banned Christmas in colonial Massachusetts
- 27. Fictional reindeer created for a department store promotion
- 28. Author of A Visit from St. Nicholas
- 30. Modern Christmas gift-giver figure
- 32. Medium that spread Christmas specials in the 20th century
- 34. Word describing medieval public Christmas celebrations
- 37. Plants brought indoors during winter festivals to symbolize life
- 39. Vernacular Christmas songs sung outside church services