Christmas Eve: What is the History Behind Celebrating This?

Christmas Eve is on December 24 and is probably one of the best nights of the year. Christmas can bring families and friends back together, warm our hearts, and remind us that we have a lot to be thankful for. So put on your cozy pajamas, light your fireplace, call your loved ones, and top your hot cocoa with some fluffy marshmallows.

When is Christmas Eve 2022?

Christmas Eve is December 24. It is the end of the Advent season, which begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Eve and lasts until Christmas Eve. Many churches have midnight services at the end of Advent to mark the end of the season. In modern times, it is often celebrated the night before Christmas Day.

History of Christmas Eve

Part of the reason Christmas Eve is celebrated is that Christian liturgy starts at sunset. This comes from Jewish tradition and is based on the Story of Creation in the Book of Genesis, which says that the first day begins in the evening and ends in the morning.

People also think that Jesus, or Jesus of Nazareth, was born in the area of Palestine at midnight. Eve celebrations, which were still around in the early Christian calendar, were based on many historical ideas about old customs.

Christmas Eve

Advent, the time when people get ready for Christmas, starts on November 30 or November 15 in the East. Christmas Eve is the end of this time. On this night, shepherds watching over their flocks outside of Bethlehem saw the bright star in the sky that told them that Jesus Christ had been born.

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Because of this, a lot of churches start their services on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. Due to the Holy Inquisition, Christians had to follow certain customs from the 1200s to the 1500s. In the 1600s, the church got ideas from the Winter Solstice celebrations and started getting ready for Christmas the night before.

People in many parts of Europe think that at midnight on Christmas Eve, animals can talk for a short time. It’s possible that these superstitions came about because of the traditional link between the ox and the donkey in the Nativity scene. However, the idea that animals can talk is probably of pagan origin. Many people in England and Europe also believe that at midnight on Christmas Eve, cattle stand up in their stalls or kneel to worship the Christ child.

Christmas Eve

Even though Christmas Eve is a Christian holiday, there are many pagan and supernatural beliefs about it. On Christmas Eve, people in Scandinavia believe that the dead return to their old homes. Before going to bed, people make sure their living rooms are clean and that a good fire is going.

People often light candles, set the table, and leave lots of food out for ghosts. They also make sure that the dust is cleaned off the seats of their chairs. When they wake up in the morning, they use a clean white towel to wipe the chairs again. If there is dirt on the seat, it means that a family member who had just died sat there during the night.

In the 1800s, people began to celebrate Christmas as a holiday. Christmas Eve is still a big deal for Christians because it marks the day Jesus was born. It has become even more popular in the last 100 years because of Santa Claus, a well-known figure who people love. Traditions like hanging stockings and leaving cookies, milk, and sometimes carrots for Santa’s reindeer came from the idea of the jolly man in red.

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In addition to Santa Claus and Christianity, Christmas Eve became a day for spending time with family and friends over dinner, decorating, wrapping gifts, and watching Christmas-themed movies. From Europe to North and South America to Asia, the holiday brings families and friends together so they can do special and traditional things together.

Christmas Eve Activities

Dinner time!
Take the time to have dinner with the people you care about, no matter what you have to do that night, where you are, or who you are with. Make or order some food, have some desserts, and enjoy the company and conversation!

Secret Santa / secret friend
In many places, it’s a tradition to give and receive gifts on Christmas Day, but Secret Santas are a great way to do it on Christmas Eve. Set up a Secret Santa with your friends to get everyone in the holiday spirit.

Keep and make new customs
The Christmas season is a great time to start a new tradition. You could cook your favorite Christmas dish from when you were a kid, make eggnog, or host a movie night with your friends every year.

Why We Love Christmas Eve

Even in the Worst Times, There is Light.
Christians celebrate Christmas to remember that God loves people so much that he sent his Son to save them and forgive their sins. So even when things are the darkest, like during World War I, Christmas Eve brings light to the world.

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Reunion Evening
Even people who don’t believe in God celebrate Christmas by going home to see family and friends they haven’t seen in a year.

The Chance to Show Love
Even if you don’t care about money or things, Christmas Eve is the best time to give and receive love. Some loving and kind gifts are your time, your support, food for homeless animals, donations to organizations and churches, and more.

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