 C-H-R-I-F-D-M-A-F-D-I-D-E, Christmastide also Christmas time for the Christmas season is a season of the liturgical year in most Christian churches. In some Christian denominations, Christmastide is identical to 12otide, a similar concept. For most Christian denominations, such as the United Methodist Church and the Roman Catholic Church, Christmastide begins on Christmas Eve at sunset or first Vespers, which is liturgically the beginning of Christmas Day. Most of Christmas Eve, understood as December 24, is thus not part of Christmastide, but of Advent, the season and the church year that precedes Christmastide. In many liturgical calendars, Christmastide is followed by that closely related season of Epiphanotide. There are several celebrations within Christmastide, including Christmas Day December 25th Street, Stevens Day December 26th Children's December 28th The Feast of the Holy Family on New Year's Eve December 31st The Feast of the Circumcision of Christ, The Celebrity of Mary, Mother of God and New Year's Day January 1st as well as Epiphany Eve or 12th Night the Evening of January 5th. Customs of the Christmas season include carol singing, gift giving, seeing nativity plays, attending church services, and eating special food, such as Christmas cake. Traditional examples of Christmas greetings include the Western Christian phrase Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, and the Eastern Christian greeting cries is born, to which others respond, glorify him.