HISTORY

John Brewer

Many of the traditions currently associated with Christmas, such as elaborately decorated Christmas trees and carol-singing, originated in Victorian England. "Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were hot on peddling Christmas."

LINGUISTICS

Annie Zaenen

Inquisitive historical linguists should consult the American Heritage Dictionary, which offers this etymology for "Christmas":

Middle English Cristesmasse, Old English Cristesmaesse: Cristes, genitive of Crist, CHRIST + maesse, MAS.

CHRIST: from Greek Khristos, "the anointed (one)," from khrein, to anoint.

MAS: Old English masse, festival mass, from Late Latin missa, eucharist, possibly deriving from phrases such as Itemissa est, "Go, it is the dismissal."

MUSIC

James D. Yannatos

The birth of a child is symbolic of artistic creation and goes on as long as Man is able to create Man's spirit always wishes to give birth to works of art." Bach's "Christmas Cantata." Handel's Messiah, Corelli's "Christmas Concerto," and Menotti's "Amahl and the Night Visitors" are among the works of music that were inspired by the holiday.

PHILOSOPHY

Martha C. Nussbaum

I was brought up to think of Christmas as a time when Scrooge turns to the poor. But it's not enough to depend on momentary bursts of passion." Christmas should be a time for social legislation, because we need a social structure depending on justice, not varying with the seasons.