Christmas Day in Armenia is traditionally celebrated on January 6th. This is different from most of the world that celebrate Christmas on December 25th. The difference in the date stems from a time before the introduction of the Gregorian calendar when 'Christmas Day' and 'Epiphany Day' were celebrated together as one holiday. Even after the separation of these holidays in the rest of the Christian world, the Armenian Apostolic Church, one of the oldest in the world, continued to celebrate them together.
Armenian Christmas, known as 'Astvatsatsnund' or 'Theophany', commemorates not only the birth of Christ, but also his baptism in the River Jordan, hence the term 'Theophany', which means 'manifestation of God'. The festivities begin on the eve of Christmas, January 5th, with a ceremony called 'Chragaluytsi' or the 'Lighting of the Lamps' which symbolizes Jesus Christ's enlightenment of the world.
On Christmas Day, Armenians attend Divine Liturgy at church and come together with their families for a traditional festive meal. The meal often includes dishes such as fish, rice pilaf, and raisin and apricot-stuffed bread; food that is typically avoided during the Advent Fast leading up to Christmas. Also, according to Armenian tradition, the first person to visit a home on Christmas day is called the 'Polaznik' and they bring good luck for the coming year.