A single extra letter can make a familiar word look strangely unfamiliar. That’s exactly what happens with Christmases and Christmass. Both forms contain the same familiar letters, so it’s easy to assume they’re simply two ways of writing the same word. They aren’t.
If you’re asking about the correct spelling, the answer is clear. Christmases is a correct plural form of Christmas. Christmass is not the standard modern spelling of the holiday. For normal American English writing, use Christmas for one celebration and Christmases when you need to refer to more than one Christmas.
The confusion makes sense because Christmas already ends in s. When writers want to make it plural, they sometimes feel that another s should be added directly to the base word. That produces a spelling that looks logical at first glance but doesn’t follow standard usage. There’s also an interesting historical wrinkle: Christmass has appeared as an older spelling in English. That doesn’t make it the right choice in modern writing.
This guide explains the difference in detail. You’ll learn how the plural works, why the extra letter causes trouble, how the words are pronounced, where they came from, and how experienced editors handle them. You’ll also see natural examples from everyday writing, professional communication, academic work, journalism, and conversation.
Quick Answer
Christmases is the correct plural form of Christmas. Use it when you’re talking about two or more Christmas celebrations or Christmas seasons. Christmass is not the standard modern spelling and should normally be corrected to Christmas. The extra s can appear in historical texts, but it isn’t appropriate for ordinary modern English.
Christmases or Christmass at a Glance
| Feature | Christmases | Christmass |
|---|---|---|
| Correct modern spelling | Yes | No |
| Standard English | Yes | No |
| Meaning | More than one Christmas | Usually an extra letter in Christmas |
| Part of speech | Plural noun | Not a standard modern noun |
| Word type | Proper noun in plural use | Historical spelling or modern spelling error |
| Pronunciation | Commonly pronounced with an added plural syllable | Usually intended to represent Christmas |
| Base word | Christmas | Christmas |
| Grammar role | Refers to multiple celebrations | No normal modern grammar role |
| Formality | Standard | Not recommended |
| Frequency | Less common than Christmas | Rare as a modern spelling |
| Typical context | Multiple years or celebrations | Spelling mistakes or historical texts |
| Example | We spent many Christmases together. | Do not write Christmass in a modern greeting. |
The key distinction is simple. Christmas is the singular form. Christmases is its plural form. Christmass is generally a spelling error in present day English.
Major dictionaries support the plural form. Collins lists Christmases as the plural of Christmas, while Merriam Webster identifies Christmases as the plural form as well. (Collins Dictionary)
Which Word Should You Use With Christmases or Christmass
Use Christmases when you mean more than one Christmas.
For example:
We spent our first three Christmases in that little house.
Here, the writer is talking about three separate Christmas celebrations. The plural noun is therefore appropriate.
Use Christmas when you mean one Christmas or the Christmas season generally.
For example:
Christmas is my favorite time of year.
You wouldn’t normally make that noun plural because the sentence refers to the holiday as a general annual event.
Christmass is different. In ordinary modern English, you should not use it as an alternative spelling. If you type it in a greeting such as Merry Christmass, the standard correction is Merry Christmas.
There is one important historical detail worth knowing. Older English texts contain forms such as Christmass. Historical spelling was much less standardized than modern English spelling. Grammarphobia notes that historical records include many forms of the word, including Christmass, while Christmas is the standard modern form. (Grammarphobia)
That distinction matters for editors. Seeing an older spelling in a historical document doesn’t automatically mean the writer made a mistake. In a modern email, school assignment, article, card, or business message, however, the standard form is Christmas.
Understanding Christmases or Christmass
Christmases is the plural form of Christmas.
Christmas is a noun that names the Christian holiday associated with the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. It can also refer to the period surrounding December 25. Oxford lists Christmas as both countable and uncountable and gives the meanings of the day and the surrounding period. (Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries)
When you refer to several individual Christmas celebrations, the plural Christmases becomes useful.
Consider these examples:
We spent five Christmases with our grandparents.
Those Christmases remain some of my favorite childhood memories.
The novel follows the family through several Christmases.
In each sentence, the writer has mentally separated one Christmas from another. That makes the plural natural.
Definition
Christmases means multiple Christmas celebrations or multiple Christmas periods.
It can refer to:
- Christmas celebrations from different years.
- Several Christmas seasons.
- Distinct Christmas experiences.
- Multiple Christmas occasions.
- Different Christmases described in a story or memory.
Merriam Webster lists Christmases as the plural of Christmas. (Merriam-Webster)
Grammar Role
Christmases is a plural noun.
The singular noun is Christmas.
The plural form is Christmases.
The relationship is similar to other nouns that form their plural with an added syllable.
For example:
- Christmas becomes Christmases.
- bus becomes buses.
- class becomes classes.
- box becomes boxes.
- wish becomes wishes.
The spelling and pronunciation of English plurals depend on the final sound of the singular noun. Cambridge explains that nouns ending in sounds such as s, sh, ch, x, and z commonly take es in the plural. The ending is pronounced as an additional syllable. (Cambridge Dictionary)
Christmas already ends with an s sound in spelling and with the sound represented by /s/ at the end of its written form. Adding es creates Christmases.
Modern Relevance
Christmases isn’t the word you’ll use every day. Most people simply say Christmas because they’re referring to the current holiday or Christmas as a general event.
Still, the plural has a useful job.
It becomes especially natural when people talk about memories.
We had many happy Christmases at my aunt’s house.
It also works well when discussing history.
The family celebrated several Christmases during the war.
Writers may use it in literature too.
The story moves through the Christmases of her childhood.
The word is therefore uncommon compared with Christmas, but it’s completely legitimate.
Understanding Christmass
Christmass presents a different issue.
In standard modern English, it isn’t the spelling you should use for the holiday. The accepted modern spelling is Christmas.
A writer might produce Christmass because the word has a strong connection with Christ and Mass. That can make the spelling feel intuitive. The historical origin of the word does indeed connect it with Christ and Mass. Modern spelling, however, has settled on Christmas. (Merriam-Webster)
That gives us an important lesson about English spelling.
A word’s history doesn’t always tell you exactly how modern English spells it.
English spelling preserves many forms that have changed over centuries. Some older forms disappear. Others survive. Christmas is one of the words that went through substantial spelling variation before arriving at its modern form.
Historical sources contain Christmass as one of several earlier spellings. Wiktionary also records Christmass as an archaic form. (Wiktionary)
So if you encounter Christmass in an old document, don’t immediately assume the writer was careless. Context matters.
For modern writing, though, the practical rule is straightforward:
Write Christmas.
The Biggest Differences in Christmases or Christmass
The most important difference is grammatical status.
Christmases is a standard plural noun. Christmass is not the standard modern form of the holiday name.
There’s also a difference in meaning.
Christmases can clearly communicate that you’re referring to multiple celebrations.
Christmass normally doesn’t communicate a separate modern meaning. An ordinary reader is likely to understand it as a misspelling of Christmas.
Spelling
Christmases contains the base word Christmas followed by es.
Christmass adds another s to the end of Christmas.
That extra s is the problem in modern standard English.
Meaning
Christmases means more than one Christmas.
Christmass normally has no separate modern meaning. It’s generally an incorrect spelling when used in contemporary English.
Grammar
Christmases functions as a plural noun.
Christmass doesn’t have a normal modern grammatical function as the name of the holiday.
Pronunciation
Christmas is commonly pronounced /ˈkrɪsməs/ in American English. Cambridge gives /ˈkrɪs.məs/ for both American and British English. (Cambridge Dictionary)
Christmases adds a final syllable.
A useful learner approximation is:
KRISS muh siz
The exact vowel quality can vary slightly by speaker, but the important point is that the plural has an extra syllable at the end.
Writing Style
Christmases is appropriate in standard writing when the meaning calls for a plural.
Christmass should be avoided in modern writing unless you are intentionally reproducing an historical spelling or discussing the spelling itself.
Everyday Usage
Most everyday sentences use Christmas rather than Christmases.
You might say:
We’re visiting my parents for Christmas.
But you might say:
We spent our first two Christmases in California.
The first sentence refers to one current holiday. The second compares multiple celebrations.
Why People Confuse Christmases or Christmass
The confusion comes from several sources.
The Word Already Ends In S
This is probably the biggest reason.
Christmas looks as though it already has a plural marker because it ends with s. But that final s is part of the established spelling of the word. It doesn’t mean that Christmas is plural.
That distinction is important.
Compare:
Christmas is coming.
with:
We remember many Christmases.
The first word is singular. The second is plural.
The Word Looks Like Christ Plus Mass
The historical structure of the word can also create confusion.
Christmas comes from Old English Crīstes mæsse, meaning Christ’s mass. Merriam Webster traces it through Middle English Christemasse to the Old English form. (Merriam-Webster)
Because modern readers recognize Christ and Mass as separate religious terms, they may mentally rebuild the spelling as Christmass.
That reconstruction makes sense historically. It isn’t the standard spelling today.
Fast Typing
People often make spelling mistakes when typing quickly. Christmas is especially vulnerable because it contains several letters that don’t map neatly onto its pronunciation.
A writer may know the word perfectly well but still type an extra s.
Autocorrect
Autocorrect can sometimes reinforce a typo if a user has previously saved a nonstandard spelling or if the software fails to flag it.
That doesn’t make the spelling acceptable. It simply explains how the mistake can survive into a finished message.
Internet Exposure
A misspelled word can look legitimate if you see it repeatedly online.
This is a common trap in language learning. Frequency on the internet isn’t the same as acceptance in edited English.
A spelling can appear on websites, social media posts, signs, menus, or informal messages and still be nonstandard.
Learning By Sound
English spelling often cannot be predicted perfectly from pronunciation.
Christmas is a good example. The word is pronounced much more simply than its written form suggests. Cambridge gives the pronunciation as /ˈkrɪs.məs/. (Cambridge Dictionary)
That gap between spelling and sound can make learners rely on memory rather than spelling rules.
Grammar Rules for Christmases or Christmass
The grammar here is easier than it first appears.
Christmas is normally a noun.
When it refers to a specific annual celebration, it can behave as a countable noun. When it refers to the holiday period more generally, it can also function as an uncountable noun. Oxford explicitly marks Christmas as countable and uncountable. (Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries)
Singular Use
Use Christmas when discussing one Christmas.
Christmas was wonderful this year.
We spent Christmas at home.
Christmas is almost here.
Plural Use
Use Christmases when discussing multiple Christmas celebrations.
We spent several Christmases overseas.
Those Christmases were unforgettable.
She remembers the Christmases of her childhood.
Singular Verb
When Christmas functions as the subject of a sentence, use a singular verb.
Christmas is approaching.
Not:
Christmas are approaching.
The noun refers to one holiday or one annual event in that sentence.
Plural Verb
When Christmases is the subject, use a plural verb.
The Christmases we spent abroad were unforgettable.
The subject is Christmases, so were is correct.
Cambridge explains the general rule that singular nouns take singular verbs and plural nouns take plural verbs. (Cambridge Dictionary)
Articles
Christmas often appears without an article when it refers to the holiday.
We celebrate Christmas with our family.
She’ll be home for Christmas.
You usually don’t say:
We celebrate the Christmas every year.
There are contexts where the can appear with a modified form.
The Christmas of 1998 was especially memorable.
Here, the writer has identified a particular Christmas.
Possessive Forms
A possessive form can also appear.
Christmas’s meaning has changed for many families.
However, this construction can sound heavy. Skilled writers often restructure the sentence.
For example:
The meaning of Christmas has changed for many families.
The second version is usually smoother.
Multiple Christmas Celebrations
When the sentence clearly refers to separate years or occasions, Christmases is appropriate.
Their family has celebrated many Christmases together.
The word tells the reader that several individual celebrations are being considered.
When You Should Not Use the Plural
Don’t use Christmases simply because the word ends in s.
This is a common mistake.
For example:
Merry Christmas.
is correct.
Merry Christmases.
sounds unusual if you’re simply giving one holiday greeting.
The plural requires a plural meaning.
Sentence Examples Using Christmases or Christmass
The best way to understand a plural noun is to see it working naturally in sentences.
Here are ten examples that show the range of normal usage.
Example One
We spent three Christmases with our grandparents.
The sentence clearly refers to three separate celebrations.
Example Two
Those Christmases were some of the happiest years of my childhood.
The plural points to several Christmas celebrations remembered as a group.
Example Three
She spent many Christmases traveling with her family.
The plural describes repeated holiday experiences across different years.
Example Four
The novel describes the Christmases of a family living in rural Maine.
The writer is discussing multiple Christmas occasions in the characters’ lives.
Example Five
Our first few Christmases in the new house were quiet and simple.
Several years are being grouped together.
Example Six
We remember the Christmases when everyone gathered around the old fireplace.
The phrase refers to multiple past celebrations.
Example Seven
His childhood Christmases were filled with music and homemade decorations.
The plural works because the sentence describes repeated experiences.
Example Eight
They have celebrated many Christmases in different countries.
The word emphasizes the number of separate holiday experiences.
Example Nine
The museum exhibition features Christmases from different periods in American history.
Here, the plural is especially useful because the exhibit compares distinct historical celebrations.
Example Ten
After so many Christmases together, the family had developed its own traditions.
The sentence uses the plural to refer to a long series of celebrations.
Notice the pattern. Christmases usually appears when the writer can mentally count or distinguish separate Christmas occasions.
Sentence Examples Using Christmass
In modern standard English, you should not use Christmass as the spelling of the holiday.
So the most useful examples show how to identify and correct the error.
Example One
Incorrect:
Merry Christmass.
Correct:
Merry Christmas.
Example Two
Incorrect:
We’re getting ready for Christmass.
Correct:
We’re getting ready for Christmas.
Example Three
Incorrect:
The Christmass decorations are beautiful.
Correct:
The Christmas decorations are beautiful.
Example Four
Incorrect:
I’ll see you after Christmass.
Correct:
I’ll see you after Christmas.
Example Five
Incorrect:
She sent me a Christmass card.
Correct:
She sent me a Christmas card.
Example Six
Incorrect:
The office closes for Christmass.
Correct:
The office closes for Christmas.
Example Seven
Incorrect:
We always travel during Christmass.
Correct:
We always travel during Christmas.
Example Eight
Incorrect:
I bought a Christmass present for my brother.
Correct:
I bought a Christmas present for my brother.
Example Nine
Incorrect:
Christmass is my favorite time of year.
Correct:
Christmas is my favorite time of year.
Example Ten
Incorrect:
Have a wonderful Christmass.
Correct:
Have a wonderful Christmas.
There’s an important editorial point here. If you’re correcting someone’s writing, it’s better to call Christmass a nonstandard modern spelling or spelling error rather than inventing a new meaning for it.
Common Writing Mistakes Of Christmases or Christmass and How to Avoid Them
Mistake One
Writing Christmass instead of Christmas.
This is the central spelling error.
Fix: Remember the standard form as Christmas.
Mistake Two
Using Christmases for one celebration.
For example:
We had a wonderful Christmases.
That sentence is incorrect because the noun is singular in meaning.
Use:
We had a wonderful Christmas.
Mistake Three
Avoiding Christmases because it looks strange.
Some writers know that Christmass is wrong but become uncertain about Christmases. They may rewrite a perfectly correct sentence simply because the plural looks unusual.
There’s no need to do that.
We spent several Christmases together.
is grammatically correct.
Mistake Four
Adding an apostrophe to form a plural.
Do not write:
Christmas’s
when you simply mean more than one Christmas.
The apostrophe has a different grammatical job.
Christmases means more than one Christmas.
Christmas’s can indicate possession in a suitable context.
Mistake Five
Using the plural in a greeting.
Most greetings refer to the current holiday.
Use:
Merry Christmas.
Not:
Merry Christmases.
Mistake Six
Assuming online frequency proves correctness.
Search engines can show misspellings because people search for them. Search volume tells you that people are looking for a form. It doesn’t automatically tell you that the form is accepted in edited English.
That’s why dictionary evidence and established editorial usage matter.
Christmases or Christmass Pronunciation Made Simple
Christmas has an unusual relationship between spelling and pronunciation.
Cambridge gives the American pronunciation as /ˈkrɪs.məs/. (Cambridge Dictionary)
You can think of it as:
KRISS muhss
The first syllable receives the main stress.
Christmases Pronunciation
The plural adds a syllable.
A practical pronunciation guide is:
KRISS muh siz
The final sound is similar to the ending in words such as:
- buses.
- classes.
- wishes.
- boxes.
Cambridge explains that nouns ending in sounds such as s, sh, ch, x, and z generally form plurals with es and pronounce that ending as an additional syllable. (Cambridge Dictionary)
Syllable Breakdown
Christmas:
KRISS muhss
Christmases:
KRISS muh siz
The exact sound may vary slightly across speakers and accents.
Stress Pattern
The main stress stays at the beginning.
You don’t need to stress the final plural syllable strongly.
Say:
KRISS muh siz.
Not:
kriss muh SIZ.
Common Pronunciation Mistake
Some learners try to pronounce every written letter in Christmas.
That can produce an unnatural form that sounds closer to Christ mass.
Standard pronunciation is much shorter.
The word is not normally pronounced as two fully separate words.
Pronunciation Memory Tip
Think of the spoken form as shorter than the written form.
Christmas has several written letters that are not pronounced separately. Christmases keeps that base pronunciation and adds the plural ending.
That mental model is more useful than trying to sound out every letter.
Christmases or Christmass Word History and Origin
The history of Christmas explains some of the spelling confusion.
Merriam Webster traces Christmas to Middle English Christemasse and then to Old English Cristes mæsse. The original sense was essentially Christ’s mass. (Merriam-Webster)
Oxford gives the Old English form Crīstes mæsse and connects it with Christ and Mass. (Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries)
The word therefore has a religious origin.
Over time, English spelling changed.
Medieval English did not have the standardized spelling system modern writers expect. Different writers could represent the same word in different ways. Historical records preserve forms such as Cristesmas, Crystesmasse, Christmasse, Christmass, and eventually Christmas. (Grammarphobia)
This is why it would be inaccurate to say that Christmass has never existed.
It has existed historically.
The important distinction is between historical spelling and current standard spelling.
Old English Roots
The Old English expression contained elements meaning Christ and mass.
Mass refers to a Christian religious service.
The form developed through Middle English and eventually became Christmas in modern English.
Why The Spelling Changed
English spelling evolved gradually rather than through one single official decision.
Pronunciation changed.
Writing habits changed.
Regional forms competed.
Printers and later dictionaries helped stabilize common spellings.
By modern times, Christmas had become the established spelling.
Historical Forms
Historical forms include variations such as:
- Cristesmæsse.
- Cristesmas.
- Crystesmasse.
- Christmasse.
- Christmass.
- Christmas.
These forms are useful for historical linguistics because they show how English spelling moved over time. (Grammarphobia)
For a modern writer, however, the history shouldn’t create uncertainty. Standard modern English uses Christmas.
Christmases or Christmass Usage Across English Speaking Countries
The basic spelling rule is consistent across major varieties of English.
American English uses Christmas.
British English uses Christmas.
Canadian English uses Christmas.
Australian English uses Christmas.
The plural form Christmases is also standard when the meaning calls for multiple celebrations.
Collins provides the plural Christmases and gives the same general pronunciation for American and British English. (Collins Dictionary)
Regional differences are more noticeable in surrounding vocabulary and holiday customs than in this spelling.
American English
American writers use Christmas for the holiday and Christmases for multiple celebrations.
Examples include:
We spend Christmas with our relatives.
I remember those Christmases very clearly.
American English also commonly uses Merry Christmas as a greeting.
British English
British English follows the same basic spelling.
We had a wonderful Christmas.
Those Christmases were unforgettable.
In British English may use Happy Christmas more often in some contexts, but Christmas itself remains unchanged.
Oxford gives both Happy Christmas and Merry Christmas as established expressions. (Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries)
Canadian English
Canadian English also uses Christmas as the standard spelling.
The plural Christmases follows the same grammatical pattern.
Australian English
Australian English likewise uses Christmas.
The surrounding vocabulary may reflect Australian traditions, but the spelling does not change to Christmass.
The practical rule is therefore simple across these varieties.
Use Christmas in modern English.
Use Christmases when you need the plural.
Christmases or Christmass Real World Usage
Context makes the choice much easier.
Daily Conversation
In conversation, Christmas is by far the more common form.
What are you doing for Christmas?
We’re staying home for Christmas.
Christmases appears when people compare experiences across different years.
We’ve spent several Christmases together.
School Writing
Students should use Christmas in essays and assignments when referring to the holiday.
Christmases is appropriate when the topic requires multiple celebrations.
For example:
The character remembers the Christmases of her childhood.
A teacher would normally correct Christmass in a modern English assignment.
Business Communication
Business writing should use the standard spelling.
Our office will close for Christmas.
We wish our customers a happy Christmas.
If a company discusses several annual holiday periods, Christmases can be grammatically correct, although another construction may sound more polished.
For example:
Over the years we’ve shared many holiday seasons with our customers.
That can be smoother than repeating Christmases.
Academic Writing
Academic writers may use Christmas when discussing religion, history, culture, economics, literature, or social practices.
Christmases may appear in historical or literary analysis when several distinct celebrations are being compared.
Christmass should not be used as a modern spelling unless the writer is discussing historical language.
Books
Authors may use Christmases naturally when describing memories.
The Christmases of her childhood became a source of comfort.
Christmass might appear in a historical novel if the author is deliberately reproducing an older spelling.
That would be a stylistic or historical choice rather than evidence that the spelling is standard today.
Journalism
Modern journalism uses Christmas.
A news article might say:
Retailers are preparing for the Christmas shopping season.
Christmases can appear in feature writing or personal stories.
After decades of Christmases in the same town, she decided to move.
Christmass would generally be treated as an error in edited news copy unless it appears inside a historical quotation or is relevant to the story.
Online Writing
Online writing creates more room for spelling variation.
You may encounter Christmass in social posts, comments, advertisements, user generated content, or poorly edited pages.
That doesn’t change the standard spelling.
If you’re writing content for a website, use Christmas.
Social Media
Social media often contains informal spelling, abbreviations, and typos.
You may see Xmas too. That form is an established informal abbreviation of Christmas. Merriam Webster lists Xmas as an informal noun and traces the X to the Greek letter chi, the first letter of Christos. (Merriam-Webster)
Christmass is different. It is not a standard modern alternative spelling.
Similar Words and Frequently Confused Terms About Christmases or Christmass
Several related words can create additional confusion.
Christmas
Christmas is the standard singular form.
We celebrate Christmas every year.
Christmases
Christmases is the plural.
We spent several Christmases together.
Christmastime
Christmastime refers to the period associated with Christmas.
The town becomes busy at Christmastime.
Merriam Webster defines Christmas in relation to both the holiday and Christmastide. (Merriam-Webster)
Christmastide
Christmastide is a more traditional term for the Christmas season.
It has a more literary or historical feel than ordinary Christmas.
Xmas
Xmas is an established informal abbreviation.
It can appear in advertising, headlines, casual writing, and other contexts where brevity matters. Merriam Webster labels it informal. (Merriam-Webster)
It should not be confused with Christmass.
Yule
Yule is an older or literary term associated with Christmas.
Cambridge lists Yule as old use or literary. (Cambridge Dictionary)
Yuletide
Yuletide refers to the Christmas season and has a traditional or literary tone.
Christmasy
Christmasy describes something that feels strongly associated with Christmas.
Merriam Webster lists Christmassy and Christmasy as adjective forms. (Merriam-Webster)
Professional Editor’s Advice About Christmases or Christmass
A good editor doesn’t correct words only by instinct. The editor considers meaning, context, audience, history, and current standard usage.
That approach is especially useful here.
Check The Meaning First
Ask what the writer is trying to say.
If the sentence refers to one holiday, use Christmas.
For multiple celebrations, Christmases may be right.
If the writer has typed Christmass in an ordinary modern sentence, correct it to Christmas.
Christmases or Christmass Don’t Confuse A Historical Form With A Modern Error
This is the subtle point many simple spelling guides miss.
Christmass has historical evidence behind it. Historical English used many spellings for the word. Grammarphobia notes that the Oxford English Dictionary records numerous older forms. (Grammarphobia)
So an editor working with an old manuscript should not automatically modernize the spelling without considering the publication’s editorial policy.
A modern blog post is different.
If someone writes:
Merry Christmass.
the practical correction is:
Merry Christmas.
Watch The Apostrophe
One of the most useful editing distinctions is this:
Christmases means multiple Christmas celebrations.
Christmas’s can be a possessive form.
For example:
The meaning of Christmas has changed.
is usually cleaner than:
Christmas’s meaning has changed.
But in a sentence that clearly requires possession, the possessive can be grammatically possible.
The apostrophe does not create the plural.
Don’t Overcorrect Correct Plurals
Some writers become so accustomed to seeing Christmas that Christmases looks wrong.
It isn’t.
If the sentence refers to several distinct Christmas celebrations, Christmases is exactly the form you want.
Prefer Natural Alternatives Of Christmases or Christmass When They Read Better
Correct grammar isn’t always the same as the best style.
For example:
We remember many Christmases from our childhood.
is correct.
But:
We remember many Christmas holidays from our childhood.
may be more explicit in some contexts.
A skilled writer chooses based on clarity and rhythm rather than avoiding a correct word simply because it looks unusual.
Use Dictionaries For Spelling Questions
When a spelling feels uncertain, check a reputable dictionary.
Collins explicitly lists Christmases as the plural form. Merriam Webster also identifies it as the plural. (Collins Dictionary)
That gives you stronger evidence than relying on search results or spell check alone.
Remember The Core Rule
You don’t need a complicated trick.
Think:
One Christmas.
Several Christmases.
Modern standard spelling is Christmas.
That three part rule handles almost every ordinary writing situation.
Frequently Asked Questions For Christmases or Christmass
Is Christmases a correct word?
Yes. Christmases is the correct plural form of Christmas. Use it when you are referring to more than one Christmas celebration or Christmas period. For example, We spent several Christmases with our grandparents. Major dictionary sources recognize Christmases as the plural form. (Collins Dictionary)
Is Christmass a correct spelling?
Not in standard modern English. Christmass has appeared as a historical spelling, but it is not the normal modern spelling of the holiday. For contemporary writing, use Christmas. If you encounter Christmass in an old document, its historical context may explain the spelling. (Wiktionary)
Why do people spell Christmas as Christmass?
The mistake is understandable because the word comes historically from an expression meaning Christ’s mass. A writer may mentally separate Christ and Mass and then add another s. Modern English has settled on Christmas as the standard spelling. The extra s is therefore normally a spelling error in contemporary writing. (Merriam-Webster)
What is the plural of Christmas?
The plural is Christmases. It refers to multiple Christmas celebrations or periods. For example, I remember the Christmases of my childhood. The plural adds the ending es because of the sound at the end of Christmas. Cambridge explains that nouns ending in sounds such as s commonly form plurals with es. (Cambridge Dictionary)
Should I say Merry Christmases?
Usually no. A normal holiday greeting refers to the current Christmas, so Merry Christmas is the natural expression. Christmases can be correct when discussing multiple celebrations, but the plural is unusual in a standard greeting. If you are sending one holiday greeting, Merry Christmas is the clear choice.
How do you pronounce Christmases?
A practical American English pronunciation is similar to KRISS muh siz. Christmas is pronounced /ˈkrɪs.məs/ in Cambridge’s American English entry, and the plural adds an extra syllable at the end. The final plural sound works much like the ending in buses, classes, and wishes. (Cambridge Dictionary)
Is Christmas singular or plural?
Christmas is grammatically singular when it refers to one Christmas celebration. It can also function as an uncountable noun when referring to the holiday period more generally. Oxford marks Christmas as both countable and uncountable. Christmases is the plural form used for multiple individual celebrations. (Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries)
Does Christmass have a historical meaning?
Christmass has appeared as an older spelling of Christmas. Historical English contained many spelling variations because English spelling was not standardized in the modern way. That historical use is different from modern standard usage. Today, writers should use Christmas unless they are deliberately reproducing or discussing historical spelling. (Grammarphobia)
Is Xmas the same as Christmass?
No. Xmas is an established informal abbreviation of Christmas. Merriam Webster recognizes it and explains that the X comes from the Greek letter chi, which begins the Greek name for Christ. Christmass is different because it is generally a nonstandard modern spelling rather than an accepted abbreviation. (Merriam-Webster)
Should Christmases be capitalized?
Yes. Christmas is normally capitalized because it is the name of a holiday. Its plural form Christmases keeps that capitalization. For example, We remember those Christmases fondly. Lowercase christmas or christmases would not be appropriate in standard formal writing when the word refers to the holiday.
Final Verdict
Christmases is correct when you need the plural of Christmas. Christmass is not the standard modern spelling and should normally be corrected to Christmas.
The distinction is easier once you separate spelling from history.
Christmas is the standard singular form.
Christmases is the standard plural form.
Christmass is generally a modern spelling error, although historical texts can contain it as an older spelling.
The grammar is straightforward. Use Christmas when you’re talking about one celebration or Christmas as a general holiday. Use Christmases when you’re talking about several separate celebrations, such as Christmases from different years or Christmases remembered from childhood.
The pronunciation also helps explain the spelling. Christmas is pronounced much more simply than its written form, while the plural adds an extra syllable. Cambridge gives Christmas as /ˈkrɪs.məs/ in American English and explains the broader rule for plural nouns ending in sounds that require an es ending. (Cambridge Dictionary)
The easiest memory trick is this:
One Christmas.
Two or more Christmases.
Never add another s just because Christmas already ends with s.
Once you remember that rule, this spelling question becomes much easier. When you’re writing a greeting, use Christmas. When you’re describing several holiday celebrations, Christmases is the form you want.
Founding Editor
Maya spent six years as a copyeditor at a regional newspaper before starting Grammist, which is where the “answer first” format came from: newsroom style guides don’t have room for a preamble.
She writes and reviews most of the word-pair and spelling entries, and has final say on anything that goes out under the Grammist name.