12 English Collocations with the Word “Christmas”

‘Tis the season! With Christmas quickly approaching, everyone is setting up their trees, wrapping presents, listening to carols, and getting ready to spend the holiday with friends and family.

Here are some common English collocations that contain the word “Christmas”:

Christmas break

Christmas break refers to the time around Christmas when people do not go to work or school. Children usually have at least a week off from school, whereas working adults may only have one or two days of time off. Christmas break is also referred to as Christmas vacation.

Christmas tree 

The Christmas tree is the pine tree that people bring into their houses in early December. Often, the whole family gets together to decorate the Christmas tree with ornaments, candy canes, and often a star or angel on top.

12 English Collocations with the Word "Christmas" Espresso English

Christmas shopping

Buying presents for your family and friends is called Christmas shopping. In December, all the stores are full of Christmas shoppers!

Christmas list 

Children write a Christmas list of things that they hope Santa (or their parents) will bring them, such as toys, games, and candy.

Christmas card

Christmas is a time to connect with loved ones who live far away. Christmas cards are the letters that people write to their distant friends and relatives to wish them happy holidays. Some families also include pictures and a short letter about what they have been doing in the past year.

Christmas carol

Christmas carols are songs about Christmas that are very popular in December. Some popular Christmas carols include Silent Night and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

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Christmas spirit

Christmas is a happy time: you get a vacation from work, you get to spend time with your family, and you get a lot of new presents. The joyful feeling that you get during Christmas is called the Christmas spirit.

Christmas lights

The lights that people put on their lawns and houses during Christmas are called Christmas lights.

12 English Collocations with the Word "Christmas" Espresso English

Christmas stocking

Stockings are long socks that cover the feet and legs. On Christmas Eve, children hang up Christmas stockings, which are filled with small gifts on Christmas morning.

12 English Collocations with the Word "Christmas" Espresso English

Christmas party

It’s common to have a Christmas-themed celebration with friends and family in December. This event is referred to as a Christmas party.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is the day before Christmas. It’s traditional to eat dinner with your family on Christmas Eve.

Merry Christmas!

Saying “Merry Christmas!” is the most popular way to spread holiday cheer. It expresses that you hope somebody has a good time on Christmas.

12 English Collocations with the Word "Christmas" Espresso English

Now that you have learned some Christmas-themed collocations, it’s time to enjoy the holidays. Merry Christmas!

12 English Collocations with the Word "Christmas" Espresso EnglishPaul writes for Language Trainers, which provides individually-tailored language training on a one-on-one or small group basis worldwide. Language Trainers is in the Christmas spirit, too: if you sign up for classes before December 20, you get a free textbook, and a friend can join you for free! Don’t hesitate to email paul@languagetrainers.com or visit Language Trainers’ Facebook page for more information.