Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve falls on December 24th, the evening before Christmas Day. In the Christian liturgical calendar the day traditionally begins at sunset, so the festivities of Christmas properly start on this night. Families gather for festive meals, churches hold Midnight Mass and candlelight services, and children hang stockings in anticipation of Santa Claus. In many European and Latin American countries, the Christmas Eve dinner is the main celebration of the season, often followed by the exchange of gifts at midnight.