Christmastime is a festive season celebrated by many cultures around the world. It is typically associated with the Christian holiday of CHRISTMAS, which is celebrated on December 25th. The term Christmastime can refer to the period of time leading up to and including CHRISTMAS Day. Commonly used words to describe this time of year include YULE, NOEL, and YULETIDE. YULE is an old Germanic festival that was celebrated during the winter solstice and is now associated with CHRISTMAS. NOEL is a French word meaning 'CHRISTMAS' or 'birthday of Christ'. YULETIDE is a term used to describe the CHRISTMAS season, derived from the old English word for 'YULE tide'.