Weihnachten

Etymology
From, from a dative plural. Compare modern and.

The oldest form (1170) is a singular diu wīhe naht (“the Holy Night”); the somewhat later plural is used to refer to the Christmas days and nights collectively. A relation with earlier heathen festivals is not endorsed by the etymological standard sources, though the possibility is admitted.

The term is a cognate with 🇨🇬 as well as 🇨🇬 and 🇨🇬.

Noun

 * 1)  Christmas
 * 2) * 2016, Miriam Malik, Ein Drache zu Weihnachten und andere Weihnachtsgeschichten, story Ein Löwe zu Weihnachten:
 * "de"
 * 1) * 2016, Miriam Malik, Ein Drache zu Weihnachten und andere Weihnachtsgeschichten, story Ein Löwe zu Weihnachten:
 * "de"
 * 1) * 2016, Miriam Malik, Ein Drache zu Weihnachten und andere Weihnachtsgeschichten, story Ein Löwe zu Weihnachten:
 * "de"

- Drei Weihnachten, zwei Ostern und Fasching sowie unzählige Kindergeburtstage hatte ich bereits überstanden.

Usage notes

 * In German-speaking countries, Weihnachten includes the 25th as well as the 26th of December and usually also the evening of the 24th (from circa 6 p.m.). The inclusion of the morning and afternoon of the 24th is informal and sometimes frowned upon.
 * Weihnachten is originally a plurale tantum with the singular meaning Christmas. This is still invariably used in wishes: Froh e, gesegnet e , schön e , ... Weihnachten! Otherwise, the word is most often treated as a neuter singular: Weihnachten ist ein christliches Fest. (“Christmas is a Christian holiday.”) Particularly in Austria and Switzerland, the plurale tantum may alternatively be used, then requiring the definite article:  Die Weihnachten sind ein christliches Fest. The neuter singular also has a true plural referring to Christmases in different years: Die letzten drei Weihnachten war er krank. (“He was sick for the past three Christmases.”)