From Middle High German wīhenahten (“Christmas”), from a dative plural ze den wīhen nahten (“in the holy nights”). Compare modern weihen (“to hallow”) and Nacht. The oldest form (1170) is a singular diu wīhe naht (“the Holy Night”); the somewhat later plural is used to refer to the Christmas days and nights collectively. A relation with earlier heathen festivals is not endorsed by the etymological standard sources, though the possibility is admitted. Compare Weihnacht.
Weihnachten n (genitive Weihnachten or Weihnachtens, plural Weihnachten)
- Weihnachten is originally a plurale tantum. The plural is still invariably used in wishes: Frohe, gesegnete, schöne, ... Weihnachten! Otherwise the word is most often treated as a neuter singular: Weihnachten ist ein christliches Fest. (“Christmas is a Christian holiday.”) Particularly in Austria and Switzerland it may alternatively be plural, then requiring the definite article: Die Weihnachten sind ein christliches Fest. It can also be used as a true plural when referring to Christmases in different years: Die letzten drei Weihnachten war er krank. (“He was sick for the past three Christmases.”)