Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve,
December 24, the day before
Christmas Day, is treated to a greater or a lesser extent in most
Christian societies as part of the
Christmas festivities. Christmas Eve is the traditional day to set up the
Christmas tree, but as the Christmas season has been extended several weeks back (to
Thanksgiving in the
United States), many trees will have been set up for weeks.
In nearly all countries, Christmas Eve is a shortened business day. For example, (when it falls on a weekday) most
financial markets close by early
afternoon, and nearly all retail and commercial businesses are closed by late afternoon - typically between 4:00 and 6:00 pm.
In the
Roman Catholic Church, the
Christmas season liturgically begins on Christmas Eve. Unless it is a Sunday (see
Advent), the Mass of the Vigil is said on the morning of
December 24. The
Christmas season continues through until
January 4, or if that be a Saturday, until
January 5, when the Vigil of the
Epiphany is celebrated.
Many Christians traditionally celebrate a midnight
mass at midnight on Christmas Eve, which is held in churches throughout the world, marking the beginning of Christmas Day. Other churches hold a candlelight service which is typically held earlier in the evening. These often feature dramatizations of the
Nativity. Large meals are common, often with
turkey or
ham as the main item. A traditional dish in Germany is roast
carp. In
Czech Republic it is a fish soup and breaded roasted
carp with potato salad. In some parts of
Eastern Europe such as
Poland and
Lithuania, a traditional meatless
12-dishes Christmas Eve Supper is served before opening gifts.
When it is Christmas Eve or
La Nochebuena, as it is known in
Spain, there are two important traditions - attending
Christmas mass and secondly, enjoying a meal with friends and family.There is a wide variety of typical foods one might find on plates across Spain on this particular night, and each
region has its own distinct specialties.It is particularly common, however, to start the meal with a seafood dish such as prawns or salmon, followed by a bowl of hot, homemade soup. The main meal will commonly consist of roast lamb, or seafood, such as cod or shellfish. For dessert, there is quite a spread of delicacies, among them are
turrón, a dessert made of honey, egg and almonds that is Arabic in origin
It is also seen as the night when
Santa Claus or his international variants, make their rounds giving gifts to good children. In
Czech Republic the
Ježíšek (translated into English as 'Happy little Jesus') has no particular personification. Anyone has his/her own idea. In
Italy presents are opened on the morning of Christmas Eve, while in
Sweden,
Denmark,
Norway,
Portugal and
Poland, Christmas presents are opened on that evening, and in the United States, the
United Kingdom,
Ireland and
Australia mostly on the morning of Christmas Day. In
Finland Joulupukki personally meets children and gives presents in the evening of Christmas Eve.
Latin American countries wait until 12:00 am to start opening presents. In most parts of
Germany,
Austria and
Switzerland Christmas presents are opened in the evening of December 24th ('Bescherung'). In
Spain and Latin America gifts are opened on the morning of
January 6th,
Epiphany day ("Día de Los Reyes"). In
Iceland Christmas starts at 6:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Church bells ring at that time and people either sit down for holiday dinner at home or with closest family. After that they open gifts and spend the evening together.
In
North America, there is a mixture of families opening gifts in the evening and, more commonly, on Christmas Day morning. In families where a
divorce has occurred, children may spend one day with one part of the family, and the next with the other. In extended families where two branches of the family reside within a reasonable driving distance, many families may choose to spend Christmas Eve with the maternal side of the family and Christmas Day with the paternal side, or vice-versa. Most Christmas stories start or take place on this day.
In the
Philippines, the sole pre-dominant
Catholic Christian country in
Asia, Christmas Eves are usually celebrated by attending the rooster's mass or
Misa de Gallo.
Misa de Gallo is the
Holy Mass celebrated hours before the clock ticks 12 AM that signifies the arrival of
December 25 Christmas Day. After going to mass,
Filipino families usually hold a feast named
Noche Buena to celebrate the birth of
Jesus Christ. A great variety of food is eaten during this
feast, an event that usually is done with great preparation. Foods being prepared include the famous
Lechon, Quezo de Bola, Jamon, Roast
Chicken (
turkey did not gain much popularity in the
Philippines), Barbecued Meats, Pancit among many others. Despite the fact that some families are poor, they still find a way to commemorate the birth of
Jesus Christ through eating, family time and merry-making.
Declaration of Christmas Peace has been a tradition in
Finland from the Middle Ages every year, except in 1939 due to the
Winter War. The declaration takes place on the Old Great Square of
Turku, Finland's official Christmas City and former capital, at noon on Christmas Eve. It is broadcast in Finnish radio (since 1935) and television and nowadays also in some foreign countries.
The declaration ceremony begins with the hymn
Jumala ompi linnamme (
Martin Luther's
Ein` feste Burg ist unser Gott) and continues with the Declaration of Christmas Peace read from a parchment roll:
"Tomorrow, God willing, is the graceful celebration of the birth of our Lord and Saviour; and thus is declared a peaceful Christmas time to all, by advising devotion and to behave otherwise quietly and peacefully, because he who breaks this peace and violates the peace of Christmas by any illegal or improper behaviour shall under aggravating circumstances be guilty and punished according to what the law and statutes prescribe for each and every offence separately. Finally, a joyous Christmas feast is wished to all inhabitants of the city."
Recently, there is also a declaration of Christmas peace for forest animals in many cities and municipalities, so there isn't hunting during Christmas.
See Christmas truce
