December 24 – Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is Today!

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HOW TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS EVE STEP-BY-STEP

Enjoy a nativity scene and read the story of Baby Jesus.
50 fun things to do on Christmas Eve.
Set out cookies and milk for Santa Claus.
The official NORAD Santa Tracker.
Attend Christmas Eve church services or join the Washington National Cathedral Service online.
Start a new Christmas tradition – Fun Pioneer Woman Ideas.
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11/14/2024 01:11 pm GMT

Christmas Eve is an exciting night – just think of all the possibilities that can come true on this magical evening! Families gather around the Christmas tree, exchanging gifts and creating memories that will last a lifetime. Kids can hardly contain their excitement as they try to take in all of the holiday cheer. The anticipation is contagious as all are in high spirits, joyfully providing each other with presents and sharing stories of Christmases past. Once darkness falls, and it’s time to head off to bed, you can bet that everyone’s dreams are filled with visions of a white Christmas, just waiting to be unveiled under the morning sun.

CHRISTMAS EVE: A BRIEF HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS EVE

Christmas Eve has been celebrated for centuries, with evidence indicating that the first midwinter celebrations occurred as far back as ancient Rome. In early Christianity, Christmas Eve was considered holy, with special mass services held late in the evening on December 24th. Some Christian cultures also used to keep vigil throughout Christmas Eve night and into the morning, waiting to celebrate Jesus’ birth at midnight on December 25th. Even today in some countries of Central Europe and Latin America, it is still quite common for families to come together for singing carols on Christmas Eve. No matter how it’s celebrated, Christmas Eve remains a cherished time of year around the world!

100 WAYS TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS EVE

Decorate the Christmas tree: Gather your family and deck the halls with ornaments, lights, and garlands to create a festive atmosphere.
Bake cookies for Santa: Whip up batches of delicious cookies to leave out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve night.
Watch a holiday movie: Cozy up on the couch with loved ones and watch a classic Christmas film to get into the spirit of the season.
Sing Christmas carols: Gather around the piano or go caroling in your neighborhood to spread holiday cheer.
Read Christmas stories: Share heartwarming tales of the season with family and friends to create cherished memories.
Attend a candlelight service: Participate in a traditional Christmas Eve candlelight service at your local church or community center.
Prepare a festive dinner: Cook a special meal with holiday favorites like roast turkey, ham, or prime rib.
Exchange gifts: Gather with loved ones to exchange presents and enjoy the joy of giving.
Write letters to Santa: Sit down with the kids and write letters to Santa Claus, expressing their Christmas wishes.
Make homemade ornaments: Get creative and craft DIY ornaments to adorn the tree and add a personal touch to your decorations.
Build a gingerbread house: Spend time together constructing and decorating a gingerbread house for a fun and tasty activity.
Host a holiday-themed game night: Play festive games like Christmas trivia, charades, or board games with family and friends.
Go ice skating: Visit a local ice skating rink and enjoy some winter fun on Christmas Eve.
Take a neighborhood lights tour: Drive around your neighborhood to admire the festive light displays and decorations.
Attend a live nativity: Experience the story of Christmas come to life with a visit to a live nativity scene.
Make hot cocoa: Brew up a batch of delicious hot cocoa with marshmallows for a cozy and comforting treat.
String popcorn garlands: Sit together and string popcorn to create festive garlands for the tree or fireplace.
Have a pajama party: Spend the evening in your favorite holiday pajamas, relaxing and enjoying each other’s company.
Set up a photo booth: Create a festive backdrop with props and take memorable photos with family and friends.
Write thank-you notes: Take time to express gratitude by writing thank-you notes for gifts and blessings received throughout the year.
Go on a neighborhood sleigh ride: Take a horse-drawn sleigh ride around the neighborhood to enjoy the holiday lights and decorations.
Attend a Christmas Eve concert: Enjoy the sounds of the season with a live Christmas concert featuring carols and holiday music.
Make reindeer food: Mix oats and glitter to create magical reindeer food to sprinkle on the lawn for Santa’s reindeer.
Tell stories by the fireplace: Gather around the fireplace and share stories of Christmases past or tales of holiday magic.
Reflect on the true meaning of Christmas: Take a moment to pause and reflect on the true spirit of Christmas, focusing on love, joy, and peace.
Christmas Trivia: Test your knowledge of holiday facts and traditions with a festive trivia game.
Gift Wrapping Relay: Race against the clock to wrap presents in this fun and fast-paced relay game.
Holiday Charades: Act out Christmas-themed words and phrases for your team to guess in this classic party game.
Christmas Pictionary: Take turns drawing holiday-themed images while your teammates guess what they represent.
Ornament Scavenger Hunt: Hide festive ornaments around the house and challenge players to find them all.
Christmas Carol Karaoke: Sing your favorite holiday tunes in a festive karaoke competition with friends and family.
Christmas Movie Bingo: Watch Christmas movies and mark off squares on your bingo card as you spot common movie tropes.
Snowball Toss: Use soft snowball toys or crumpled paper to see who can toss the most “snowballs” into a target.
Stocking Guessing Game: Fill stockings with mystery items and have players guess what’s inside by feeling them.
Christmas Charades Relay: Act out holiday-themed words or phrases in a relay race format, passing the charade along to teammates.
Candy Cane Hunt: Hide candy canes around the house or yard for kids to find in this sweet scavenger hunt.
Holiday Bingo: Play bingo with a Christmas twist, using holiday-themed images or words on your bingo cards.
Christmas Word Search: Challenge players to find holiday-themed words hidden in a word search puzzle.
Pin the Nose on Rudolph: Blindfold players and have them try to pin Rudolph’s nose in the right spot on a poster.
Cookie Decorating Contest: Decorate cookies with icing and toppings, then vote on the best-decorated creations.
Santa Says: Play a holiday version of “Simon Says” with commands related to Santa and Christmas.
Christmas Memory Game: Test your memory by matching pairs of holiday-themed cards in this classic memory game.
Gingerbread House Decorating: Compete to see who can create the most elaborate gingerbread house masterpiece.
Holiday Bingo: Play bingo with a Christmas twist, using holiday-themed images or words on your bingo cards.
Christmas Word Scramble: Unscramble holiday-themed words as quickly as possible in this brain-teasing game.
Christmas Trivia Relay: Race against other teams to answer Christmas trivia questions and complete challenges.
Pin the Star on the Christmas Tree: Blindfolded players try to pin a star onto a picture of a Christmas tree.
Christmas Memory Tray: Place holiday-themed items on a tray, then cover it and see who can remember the most items.
Snowman Bowling: Set up snowman-shaped pins and roll a ball to knock them down in this wintery twist on bowling.
Christmas Bingo: Customize bingo cards with holiday images or words and see who can get a bingo first.
DIY Snow Globe: Create your own snow globe using a jar, water, glitter, and small holiday figurines for a festive decoration.
Handmade Christmas Cards: Design personalized Christmas cards using cardstock, markers, glitter, and other embellishments for loved ones.
Pine Cone Ornaments: Collect pine cones and decorate them with paint, glitter, ribbon, and other festive accents to hang on the tree.
Felt Stockings: Sew or glue together felt pieces to create custom stockings, then decorate them with sequins, beads, and fabric paint.
Homemade Advent Calendar: Craft an advent calendar using small envelopes or boxes filled with treats or activities for each day leading up to Christmas.
Paper Snowflakes: Cut out intricate snowflake designs from paper and hang them around the house for a wintery touch.
Cinnamon Stick Candles: Glue cinnamon sticks around the outside of plain candles for a festive and aromatic decoration.
Holiday Wreath: Create a wreath using a wire frame and embellish it with ornaments, ribbon, pine cones, and other decorative elements.
Christmas Tree Garland: String together paper or fabric triangles to make a colorful garland to hang on the tree or mantle.
Handprint Reindeer Ornaments: Use paint to make handprint reindeer on wooden ornaments for a sentimental keepsake.
Festive Mason Jars: Decorate mason jars with paint, ribbon, and other embellishments to use as candle holders or vases.
Holiday Centerpiece: Arrange candles, pine cones, berries, and greenery in a decorative bowl or tray for a festive table centerpiece.
Gingerbread House Kit: Make your own gingerbread house kit with pre-baked gingerbread pieces and plenty of icing and candy decorations.
Pom-Pom Garland: Create a colorful garland by stringing together pom-poms made from yarn in various sizes and colors.
Fabric Scrap Tree: Cut fabric scraps into triangles and glue them onto a cone-shaped base to create a unique fabric tree decoration.
Christmas Countdown Clock: Craft a countdown clock using a chalkboard or paper and change the number each day until Christmas.
Holiday Magnets: Decorate wooden or ceramic magnets with paint, stickers, or small ornaments to display on the fridge.
Paper Plate Santa Claus: Use paper plates to create adorable Santa Claus faces, complete with cotton ball beards and red hats.
Felt Reindeer Ornaments: Cut out reindeer shapes from felt and decorate them with googly eyes, buttons, and ribbon for hanging.
Holiday Luminaries: Decorate glass jars with tissue paper and glue to create luminaries that can be lit with candles or battery-operated lights.
Christmas Cookie Cutter Ornaments: Use cookie cutters as stencils to trace and cut out festive shapes from colored paper or felt.
Pine Cone Fire Starters: Dip pine cones in melted wax and let them dry to create decorative and fragrant fire starters for the fireplace.
Popcorn Garland: String popcorn onto thread or twine to make a classic and edible garland for the Christmas tree.
Salt Dough Ornaments: Mix salt, flour, and water to make dough, then cut out shapes and bake them to create personalized ornaments.
Holiday Door Hanger: Craft a door hanger using a wooden or cardboard base and decorate it with paint, ribbon, and holiday accents.
Roast Turkey: Prepare a succulent roast turkey seasoned with herbs and spices, perfect for a festive Christmas Eve dinner.
Baked Ham: Glaze a juicy ham with honey, mustard, and brown sugar, then bake until caramelized for a delicious holiday main course.
Beef Wellington: Impress your guests with a classic Beef Wellington, featuring tender beef fillet wrapped in puff pastry and baked to perfection.
Lobster Thermidor: Indulge in luxurious lobster Thermidor, a decadent dish of lobster meat cooked in a creamy sauce and topped with cheese.
Vegetarian Wellington: Serve up a flavorful vegetarian Wellington filled with a savory mixture of mushrooms, spinach, and cheese, wrapped in puff pastry.
Salmon en Croûte: Create an elegant salmon en croûte by wrapping salmon fillets in puff pastry with a creamy spinach filling, then baking until golden brown.
Stuffed Pork Tenderloin: Prepare tender pork tenderloin stuffed with a savory filling of apples, cranberries, and herbs, roasted to perfection.
Roasted Vegetables: Roast an array of seasonal vegetables such as carrots, Brussels sprouts, and parsnips tossed in olive oil and herbs for a hearty side dish.
Scalloped Potatoes: Layer thinly sliced potatoes with cream, cheese, and herbs to create creamy and comforting scalloped potatoes.
Green Bean Casserole: Whip up a classic green bean casserole featuring tender green beans smothered in a creamy mushroom sauce and topped with crispy onions.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes: Mash sweet potatoes with butter, brown sugar, and spices for a sweet and savory side dish that pairs perfectly with holiday meals.
Cranberry Sauce: Make homemade cranberry sauce with fresh cranberries, sugar, and orange zest for a tangy and sweet accompaniment to your holiday feast.
Garlic Herb Roasted Potatoes: Roast baby potatoes tossed in garlic, butter, and fresh herbs until crispy and golden brown for a flavorful side dish.
Baked Brie: Bake a wheel of brie cheese until gooey and melty, then top with cranberry sauce and toasted nuts for a festive appetizer.
Shrimp Cocktail: Serve up platters of succulent shrimp cocktail with tangy cocktail sauce and lemon wedges for a refreshing starter.
Caprese Skewers: Thread cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls, and basil leaves onto skewers, then drizzle with balsamic glaze for a colorful and flavorful appetizer.
Stuffed Mushrooms: Stuff button mushrooms with a mixture of breadcrumbs, garlic, herbs, and cheese, then bake until golden and bubbly.
Cheese Platter: Arrange an assortment of cheeses, crackers, fruits, and nuts on a platter for a crowd-pleasing appetizer spread.
Antipasto Platter: Create a colorful antipasto platter featuring cured meats, marinated vegetables, olives, and artisanal cheeses.
Vegetable Crudité: Serve up a selection of fresh raw vegetables such as carrots, celery, bell peppers, and cucumber with dip for a light and healthy starter.
Seafood Platter: Impress your guests with a lavish seafood platter featuring oysters, clams, shrimp, and crab legs served with lemon and cocktail sauce.
Baked Camembert: Bake a wheel of Camembert cheese until gooey and runny, then serve with crusty bread, grapes, and honey for dipping.
Deviled Eggs: Prepare classic deviled eggs filled with a creamy mixture of egg yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, and paprika for a timeless appetizer.
Roasted Chestnuts: Roast chestnuts in the oven until tender and fragrant, then serve them warm for a festive and nostalgic holiday snack.
Chocolate Yule Log: Bake a decadent chocolate yule log cake filled with rich chocolate ganache and rolled into a festive log shape, perfect for dessert on Christmas Eve.