Christmas Eve – Interesting and Fun Facts

Christmas Eve is celebrated on December 24.

It is the end of the Advent season leading up to Christmas.

Christmas Eve interesting facts

1. In the Latin Church, Christmas Eve is celebrated on December 24.

2. In the Greek Catholic and Orthodox churches, Christmas Eve is celebrated on January 6 (in connection with the use of the Julian calendar)

3. In the Armenian Catholic Church, Christmas Eve is celebrated on January 5.

4. The day of Christmas Eve was postponed. According to the folk tradition (still alive, for example, in the Kielce region), in the years when December 24 falls on Sunday, Christmas Eve could not be celebrated because “Sunday does not accept fasting”. In this case, the Christmas Eve supper was held on Saturday, and Christmas was celebrated for three days.

5. Wafer breaking is a custom known in Poland, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Belarus, Ukraine and Italy.

Added: Paulina

6. Christmas Eve is not a day off from work.

7. People believe that a kiss under the mistletoe on Christmas brings good luck in love.

Added: Baha

8. In Polish churches there is a Midnight Mass.

Added: cukierek09

9. Vigil in Latin – “vigilia” means vigil.

10. In Bolivia, a rooster is brought to the Christmas Eve mass, because it is believed that the rooster was the first animal to announce the birth of Christ.

Added: Baranek

11. Joseph was not at all old as he is portrayed. He could have been about 20, and Mary 13-14 years old.

12. The birth was delivered by a midwife, whom Józef found in the city.

13. Mary felt no pain during childbirth because she was free from original sin.

14. There are legends that Jesus was not born in a stable, but in a grotto where animals were kept.

Added: RELis

Christmas Eve questions and answers

When should the Christmas Eve dinner start?

According to tradition, Christmas Eve dinner should begin when the first star in the sky appears. It is a symbolic reference to the Star of Bethlehem.

Answer: Paulina

What does the Christmas Eve dinner look like?

Fast food is served at the Christmas Eve supper, and the dinner begins with a prayer. Then the participants break the wafer and make Christmas wishes. On a table covered with a white tablecloth with a bundle of hay underneath, one place more than the number of people gathered is placed. An additional seat at the Christmas Eve table is intended for an unannounced guest, and this custom became popular in the 19th century. An important custom accompanying the Christmas Eve is singing Christmas carols. Often, gifts are also placed under the tree, which, according to tradition, are to be brought by the star, St. Santa Claus, baby, angel or asterisk.

Answer: Paulina

What are the most traditional Christmas Eve dishes?

Christmas Eve dishes include: red borscht with dumplings, dumplings with cabbage and mushrooms, fried carp and jelly, cabbage with peas, cabbage with mushrooms, dumplings with cabbage, porridge with dried mushrooms, beans with dried plums, patties with mushrooms, rice cutlets with mushroom sauce, noodles with poppy seeds, sugar and honey, mints, challah with dried fruit compote, almond soup or pie, cabbage rolls and kutia from the eastern tradition. In Silesia, the dishes for Christmas Eve are urine and makówki.

Answer: Paulina

What are Christmas superstitions?

Some people hide carp scales in their wallets, believing it will bring good luck in finances. There is also a superstition that as a person behaves on Christmas Eve, so will the whole year. It is important not to argue. Hunters on Christmas Eve traditionally go hunting, and its successful outcome is to ensure the protection of the patron saint of hunting, St. Hubert. There is a tradition to try each of the twelve dishes on Christmas Eve so that they will not run out of it in the next year.

Answer: Paulina