Christmas trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, garnering valuable experience in English repertory theatre in 1936. He then landed a principal role in the London production of Noël Coward's "Bitter Sweet" in the 1930s.
As the Second World War unfolded, Christmas joined the Royal Air Force production units and performed in the RAF's Gang Show. Following the war, he relocated to Canada in 1948, marking the beginning of a long-standing association with television comedians Johnny Wayne and Frank Shuster.
In this new Canadian home, Christmas took on the iconic character of Madam Hooperdink, a role that would become a staple of his career. His own show "Christmas is Coming" toured Canada in the 1950s, showcasing his versatility as a performer.
Christmas's artistic talents soon led him to assume the role of artistic director at the Ottawa Repertory Company in 1954. The following year, he ran the Peterborough Summer Theatre, further solidifying his reputation as a master of the stage.
The 1957 season marked the beginning of Christmas's long and illustrious association with Canada's Stratford Festival, where he would go on to perform in 12 seasons and 21 Shakespearean productions until 1970. This period was particularly notable, as it was during this time that a core group of veteran actors, including William Hutt, Tony Van Bridge, Jean Gascon, Douglas Rain, Amelia Hall, and Mervyn Blake, helped shape the festival's early years.
Christmas's final appearance at Stratford was in 1987, when he brought his unique brand of theatricality to the role of Dogberry in "Much Ado About Nothing." Throughout his career, he also maintained associations with the Canadian Players, San Diego's Globe Theatre, and the drama department at the University of California at San Diego.
In his personal life, Christmas was a devoted father to two children with his first wife and two children with his second wife, and a loving grandfather to six grandchildren.
