圣诞节这个词来自西元10-12世纪的英国。其本身的含义是指“基督的弥撒”，即“为基督的一次聚餐”。这个仪式源自《新约》的“最后的晚餐”。
而“基督的弥撒”这个词是希腊语和拉丁语的拼凑，因为Christ来自希腊语Χριστ，意思本来只是指犹太人的“受膏者”，引申为救世主；而mass来自拉丁语missa，本意为散会，引申为基督教会感恩聚会。所以有时又缩写为“Xmas”。这可能是因为 X 类似于希腊字母 Χ（Chi）；Χ 是“基督”的希腊语 Χριστì（Christos）中的首个字母。
有人认为这可能是因为近年来西方多元文化的兴起，为了尊重其它信仰的人士，以淡化圣诞节的宗教色彩。荷兰语名称类似英语，称作Kerstmis，常缩短为Kerst。
圣诞节西班牙语称为Navidad，葡萄牙语称为Natal，波兰语称为Boże Narodzenie，法语称为Noël，意大利语称为Natale，加泰罗尼亚语称为Nadal，意思是“诞生”，更清晰地反映圣诞节的意思。与此相对，德语称为Weihnachten，意思为“神圣的夜晚”。
The word Christmas comes from the United Kingdom in the 10th and 12th centuries. Its own meaning refers to "the mass of Christ", that is, "a meal for Christ." This ceremony is derived from the "Last Supper" of the New Testament.
The word "Christ's Mass" is a patchwork of Greek and Latin, because the Christ comes from the Greek language, and it means only the Jewish "anointed" and is extended to the savior; Mass, from Missa, Latin, meant a meeting, and it was extended to the church of Thanksgiving.
So sometimes abbreviated as "Xmas." This may be because X is similar to the Greek letter (Chi); is the first letter in the Greek word "Christ."
Some people think that this may be due to the rise of Western multiculturalism in recent years in order to respect people of other faiths in order to dilute the religious color of Christmas.
The Dutch name is similar to English, called Kerstmis, and is often shortened to Kerst. Christmas Spanish is called Navidad, Portuguese is called Natal, Polish is called Bo E Narodzenie, French is called Noël, Italian is called Natale, and Catalan is called Nadal, meaning "birth"., more clearly reflect the meaning of Christmas. In contrast, German is called Weihnachten, meaning "Holy night."
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