Christmas



Christmas disease

Hemophilia (or haemophilia) B, a blood-clotting disorder in which a mutation of the Factor IX gene leads to a deficiency of Factor IX (or Christmas factor), a serine protease of the coagulation system. Both the factor and the disease are named for Stephen Christmas (not the holiday), the first patient discovered to have the condition in 1952. We haven't let our daughter participate in any more physical sports since she was diagnosed with Christmas disease last year.
See also: Christmas, disease

Christmas graduate

A college or university student who discontinues his or her education after the end of the first term (i.e., around Christmastime). Primarily heard in US, South Africa. While I firmly believe in the importance of continued education, there are always a few Christmas graduates each year for whom college is just not well suited.
See also: Christmas, graduate

Christmas tree bill

In the US Congress, a minor bill that attracts many additional (and often unrelated) amendments attached to it, thus likened to ornaments hung upon a Christmas tree. Primarily heard in US, South Africa. If one really wants to see how corporate interests pervade the political process, one must simply examine the numerous amendments of the so-called Christmas tree bills that crop up each year.
See also: bill, Christmas, tree

cancel someone's Christmas

Sl. to kill someone; to destroy someone. (Underworld or jocular; the idea is that the dead person will not live until Christmas.) If he keeps bugging me, I'm gonna cancel his Christmas. Willie threatened to cancel Richard's Christmas if Richard didn't pay up.
See also: cancel, Christmas

Christmas comes but once a year.

Prov. Since Christmas only happens once a year, we should treat it as a special time by being good to others or by indulging children. Christmas comes but once a year, so we urge you to give to those less fortunate through this Christmas charity campaign.
See also: but, Christmas, come, once, year

like turkeys voting for (an early) Christmas

  (British & Australian humorous)
if people are like turkeys voting for Christmas, they choose to accept a situation which will have very bad results for them
Usage notes: Turkeys are large birds which are often eaten on Christmas Day.
Teachers agreeing to even larger class sizes would be like turkeys voting for Christmas.
See also: Christmas, like, turkey, vote

cancel someone’s Christmas

tv. to kill someone; to destroy someone. (Underworld. The dead person will miss Christmas.) If he keeps bugging me, I’m gonna cancel his Christmas.
See also: cancel, Christmas

Christmas tree

n. a drunkard. (From being lit like a Christmas tree.) A well-dressed Christmas tree sat in the corner—lit up, of course.
See also: Christmas, tree

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
MieczysŁAwmye-CHI-swahfPolish
Quim-Portuguese, Catalan
CandisKAN-disEnglish
Gertrude[gə:tru:d]
LauraLAWR-ə (English), LOW-rah (Spanish, Italian, Finnish, Polish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch), LAW-oo-raw (Hungarian)English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian, Polish, Slovene, Croa
Merav-Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew