Christmas Eve Traditions
I think Christmas Eve has to be my favourite holiday celebration. Now, I love Christmas day with my family, but Christmas Eve or as we call it in our household – Jewish Christmas – is just so laid back. Sometimes it’s just us; sometimes friends join us.
We have our fair share of traditions we try to partake in every single year, but Christmas Eve may just be my favourite day; other than Christmas day.
Why is Christmas Eve Called Jewish Christmas?
I grew up in a small town where nearly everyone celebrated Christmas, so when I met Jason I got to know what his family does over the holidays. I honestly had no idea, especially since so many places close early on the 24th and don’t reopen until the 26th.
Jason’s family did what they referred to as “Jewish Christmas”. They would go out for dinner at a Chinese food restaurant and then go to a movie. I always spent Christmas Eve with my dad and step-family (most of the time) but I know that my aunt and her parents/sister would do Chinese food as well on Christmas eve so really, it’s like it was all meant to be.
Jewish Christmas at home edition solo
We don’t go out for Jewish Christmas, but we do bring Jewish Christmas to our house. Jason works the morning of Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday, and then he typically rushes around buying last-minute things such as gifts. But once he’s home, he wraps his presents and stocking stuffers, and then we sit down and come up with our dinner plan.
We order either Chinese food, sushi, or Thai food and we order earlier than we normally would because everyone deserves to get home and spend the holidays whichever they want. If it is just us, then we settle down with our takeout, pour some beverages, and turn on Christmas movies. We watch Home Alone every year, and then we watch one or two more but they rotate yearly.
Jewish Christmas with friends
When we have friends over, we do a little more advanced prep. I’ll usually put a charcuterie board together, and then we’ll choose one of the three usual takeout suspects and people get a say in what is purchased.
Jason still does his usual Christmas eve shenanigans, but the rest is the same. We’ll usually only watch one, possibly two movies, but it’s also time for us to socialize and catch up.
Christmas Eve – Prep For Christmas Day
All of the presents go under the tree, and the stockings get stuffed and typically laid out on the table if they’re really full. No one needs the stockings falling and Brie getting into her treats, or worse yet the candy/chocolate in our stockings.
If I’m in charge of breakfast, then I’ll prep breakfast so we have less to do the morning of. I clean up as much as I can because Christmas is a jam-packed kind of day. In normal times that is.
Christmas Eve is the most wonderful time of the year
Christmas eve aka Jewish Christmas is something that Jason and I celebrate together. It’s our time to spend together during the holidays. No family obligations, and if our friends have no plans, they’re welcome to come over and soak in the quiet before the craziness of Christmas day.
I did previously spend Christmas Eve with my step-family however we’ve all moved across different areas and now my parents have moved away, so it’s just not feasible anymore. Plus, I don’t speak with my step-sister which puts a strain on everything, so I enjoy life just the way it is now. And it was a more casual get-together where everyone contributed. Those days remind me of current-day Jewish Christmas when we have friends over. It’s a casual get-together and we just get to enjoy each other’s company before the craziness.
I get that for a lot of people, Christmas kicks off before Christmas day, as there are multiple families to spend the holidays with and juggle schedules and such, but I count myself lucky every day. We are both burnt out after Christmas day, but it’s always worth it. I can’t imagine doing Christmas like that more than once.
What does Christmas Eve look like for you??
