This is the latest accepted revision, reviewed on 30 December 2022. Uzvar the album, see Christmas Night. Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and some Anglicans traditionally celebrate Midnight Mass, which begins either at or sometime before midnight on Christmas Eve.
In recent years some churches have scheduled their “Midnight” Mass as early as 7 pm. This better suits the young children, whose choral singing has become a popular feature in some traditions. A nativity scene may be erected indoors or outdoors, and is composed of figurines depicting the infant Jesus resting in a manger, Mary, and Joseph. Other figures in the scene may include angels, shepherds, and various animals. Whilst it does not include any kind of Mass, the Church of Scotland has a service beginning just before midnight, in which carols are sung.
The Church of Scotland no longer holds Hogmanay services on New Year’s Eve, however. The Christmas Eve Services are still very popular. Lutherans traditionally practice Christmas Eve Eucharistic traditions typical of Germany and Scandinavia. Methodists celebrate the evening in different ways. Some, in the early evening, come to their church to celebrate Holy Communion with their families. The annual “Nine Lessons and Carols”, broadcast from King’s College, Cambridge on Christmas Eve, has established itself a Christmas custom in the United Kingdom. This section does not cite any sources.