Christmas Eve

The day before Christmas Day on 24th December is celebrated as Christmas Eve which is also the birthday of Jesus Christ. In the Western countries the Christmas season literally starts on Christmas Eve. The early evening hours or in the late afternoon of 24th December is known as Mass of the Vigil. Come home to a host of information about the Christmas Eve as Christmasonnet.com provides interesting information about the same. Until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on the Sunday the Christmas season continues following the Solemnity of the Epiphany.

Traditionally many Catholics observe amidnight Mass at midnight on Christmas Eve held in churches worldwide marking the commencement of Christmas Day. In recent years some churches have started their Midnight Mass at 7p.m. while few other Catholic churches hold a candlelight service, typically held earlier in the evening and these features mostly dramatize the Nativity. Protestant churches on Christmas Eve follow similar worship procedures.

Often with turkey or ham as the main item large meals are common and in Germany a traditional dish is roasted goose, a fish soup and breaded roasted carp with potato salad are the main dishes in Czech Republic and Slovakia. Traditional meatless 12-dishes Christmas Eve Supper in some parts of Eastern Europe such as Poland and Lithuania is served before opening gifts. Christmas Eve is also seen as the night for Santa Claus and his international variants come to give gifts to the little kids.


Presents in Italy are opened on the morning of Christmas Eve, while presents are opened on that evening in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Argentina, Poland, Portugal and Quebec, Kazakhstan and mostly on the morning of Christmas Day in United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, English Canada, South Africa, and Australia the gifts are opened. Joulupukki in Finland personally meets kids to give presents in the evening of Christmas Eve.

Christmas presents in most parts of Germany, Austria and Switzerland presents are opened in the evening of 24th December and in Spain gifts are opened traditionally on the morning of January 6, Epiphany day. Christmas in Iceland and Norway starts on Christmas Eve, at 6:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. In fact in many countries this day is a shortened business day when most financial markets close by early afternoon, and nearly all retail and commercial businesses are closed by late afternoon. Enjoy more interesting facts about Christmas Eve and the varied ways to celebrate your Christmas Eve as you browse through the following links.

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