What is Christmas Eve?
Christmas Eve is the time from the evening of December 24 every year. For many countries, this is one of the most important festivals of the year and is even more important than Christmas Day – the morning of the 25th.
Origin of Christmas Eve?
Due to the influence of Judaism, Christianity also considers a day to begin at sunset. Churches will usually celebrate a Mass after Vespers (around evening) on the 24th to commemorate the birth of Jesus. This Mass is called the Christmas Vigil Mass. Near midnight, another more solemn Mass called Christmas Eve Mass will be held, this is the real Christmas Mass and at the same time an activity that attracts a large number of people to attend.
Pope Francis leads a mass on Christmas eve marking the birth of Jesus Christ, at St Peter's Basilica in The Vatican, on December 24, 2015
However, people still consider December 25 to be the day of Christmas. Churches will also often celebrate Dawn Mass before dawn and Day Mass to celebrate this holiday.
How to distinguish the 24th and the 25th in Christmas?
The night of December 24 - Christmas Eve
As mentioned above, according to Roman Catholicism, the night of December 24 is the time when the "vigil" is held to attract more participants. On that night, all places such as churches or every household decorate the cave with a manger, inside there is a statue of the Child Jesus and the statue of the Virgin Mary. Around there are donkeys, statues of the Three Kings, some angels, Saint Joseph...
On the other hand, the image of December 24 is also associated with the birth of the Christmas tree. According to history, between 2000 and 1200 BC, people spoke of an Epicea tree decorated with flowers, fruit, and wheat associated with December 24, the day of the Sun's rebirth.
It is said that in the 7th century an English monk, Saint Boniface (born 680) on his pilgrimage came across a group of devout pagans gathered around a large oak tree and used a child. young to sacrifice.
To stop the sacrifice and save the child, Boniface knocked down the oak tree with a single punch. There grew a small pine tree. The saint told the pagans that the little pine tree was the tree of life and it symbolized the eternal life of the Savior. Since then, people have planted pine trees to use at Christmas - a symbol of hope and new life.
December 25th - the main holiday of Christmas
There are many people who believe that December 25 is the day Jesus was really born, so December 25 is the real Christmas. But this is not entirely correct.
To date, there is no document that dares to confirm for sure whether Jesus was born on that day or not. All we know is that Jesus was born on a dark night, in the stables of an inn, some shepherds, informed by angels, came to worship him.
After this event, Christmas began to be celebrated by Christians. Initially, before the ban and persecution of the Roman government, they secretly chose December 25 to celebrate - coincided with the "Feast of the Sol invictus" of the Romans.
For a long time, the Roman government could not detect the joyful Christians who welcomed the coming of Jesus to earth because they celebrated the same day of the great feast of the Roman nation at that time.
About 300 years later, in 312, the Roman Emperor Constantine I abandoned polytheism and adopted Christianity. He canceled the worship of the sun god. December 25th has since become the day to celebrate the birthday of Jesus.
However, it was not until 354 that Pope Libero announced December 25 as the official date to celebrate the Nativity of Jesus. And when Christianity was popular around the fourth century, Christmas began to be celebrated regularly and regularly.
Christmas Eve customs in different nations
In Canada, families frequently unwrap gifts on Christmas Eve following church. Others choose to unwrap only one and keep the remainder for Christmas Day.
Many French Canadians celebrate Christmas Eve with a large feast called a Réveillon that lasts until the early hours of Christmas morning. According to Great British Chefs, originally, the supper included slaughtered and cooked meats months in advance of winter, and nowadays, the dish includes Nova Scotian lobster and scallops.
Typically, the fast lasts until after evening service or until the stars appear. Following the fast, individuals may eat kutya, a traditional Russian meal. Kutya is made out of grains, honey, and poppy seeds that are all shared from the same bowl to represent oneness. No meat is permitted.
Often, a house blessing is included in the Christmas Eve ritual - a priest would sprinkle holy water in each room and pray for a safe and blessed new year for everyone.
In the United Kingdom, individuals frequently wait until Christmas Eve to get to Christmas Day and Boxing Day. However, as is the case in many other nations, they frequently attend church services or midnight masses.
On Christmas Eve, King's College Cambridge broadcasts the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols across the county (and globe). The program features a reading of nine biblical chapters mixed with contemporary and traditional songs.
Nochebuena is the Spanish term for Christmas Eve. As part of the celebration, many families gather for a large lunch centered on turkey, lamb, or seafood
Catholics in Spain could then attend a midnight mass, or Misa del Gallo, to commemorate Jesus' birth with guitars, hand drums, and tambourines.
Delicious dinner exclusively for the 24th night!
Christmas in Christian countries also has the same meaning as our Vietnamese Lunar New Year, which is an opportunity for family members to gather together, meet friends, give cards and gifts to each other. those I love.
To make the family atmosphere warmer, it is definitely indispensable for a great dinner party with delicious glasses of wine. Although there are differences due to the cultural influence of each country, some dishes have become "specialties" for this holiday!
As the Christmas season approaches, the price of turkeys in Europe climbs up. This herb marinated chicken dish absolutely cannot be absent from the dinner table of New Year's Eve. There doesn't seem to be a specific legend for this dish, but it's famous simply because… delicious
The origin of this cake is said to commemorate the ancient Scandinavian festival of Yule. Legend has it that, during this festival, Scandinavians have to burn a large log for 12 nights to welcome the return of the sun god. Burning tree trunks before the end of the festival signal bad things to come.
It is believed that the white color on the candy represents the purity and holiness of Jesus Christ, while the red color represents the blood of the Lord. In addition, the J-shaped staff is the first letter of "Jesus".
This dish started in the UK, then was carried around the world by immigrants. The traditional recipe for this dish consists of 13 ingredients, representing the Temple and the 12 apostles, including various types of dried fruit, eggs, and suet (the fat in lamb or beef). A Christmas pudding can last up to 1 month, even 1 year, and still be eaten!
Besides traditional wine, cocktails are also a great idea for Vigil. A fairly popular drink during this holiday is the eggnog – custard cocktail. Eggnog was born in England in the seventeenth century when it was a drink reserved for the elite. By the nineteenth century, eggnog was introduced to the Americas, modified with rum, and became a popular drink in this continent. Nutritious and warm, eggnog makes the ideal choice for a cold Christmas night.
Christmas shirts when the whole family gathers together is also a special thing of Christmas Eve when all wearing shirts printed with reindeer or Christmas trees is a great thing.
Christmas Eve related products available on Printerval
T-shirt with Christmas Eve design
Hoodies Christmas Design
Tote Bag Christmas Eve
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