Christmas Eve is celebrated around the world among many people from different countries, but no matter how different they are the celebration of Christmas Eve is always for celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Among the westerners or the Catholics, Christmas Eve is celebrated on 24th of December and for the Orthodox Christianity devotes, Christmas Eve is celebrated on 6th of January.
Different countries have different celebrations and traditions. In many countries children sing Christmas carols and go from house to house to be gifted with candies and coins. The most common tradition for all countries that celebrate Christmas Eve is decorating a Christmas tree, cleaning the house and decorating it with lights and different Christmas ornaments.
In the Orthodox world, Christmas Eve means the last day of the forty five long fast during which people do not eat meat, milk and egg products. On Christmas Eve the dinner table is full with pastries, beans, dry fruits, cakes and other dishes and in some countries of the Slavic world there is a tradition of making bread, baked with a coin inside. The head of the family, usually the father or the grandfather breaks the bread and divide it in to peaces, each family member gets one piece. The person who will get the coin in the piece of bread will be the luckiest one in the year to come. After this the table is not cleared up but the food is left for the coming of Jesus Christ.
In other countries on Christmas Eve children clean and polish their shoes living them next to do window, so when St. Nicholas or Father Christmas comes can leave gifts and coins, or a little golden stick next to the sweets if the kid was very naughty during the last year. In many countries on Christmas Eve people put the Christmas presents under the tree that will be open the next morning on Christmas day. Common tradition for many people around the world is to gather the family together and enjoy a festivity dinner.
These days somehow celebrating Christmas Eve and Christmas has gone a little bit further and it is becoming more and more commercialised, a time for large expenditure and a rush for buying presents. People forget the real meaning of celebrating Christmas and they loose themselves unnecessarily in the shopping malls. Yes it is nice to give gifts on for Christmas but you can gift your family and children on their birthdays as well. So if you have forgotten a little bit on the real meaning of Christams Eve and the reason why Christmas is celebrated, do a little research about the traditions and customs in your country, run away from the shopping routine that you follow every year and make this Christmas special, different and worthy to remember.
