Holidays, Celebrations on

December 24th is a day marked by anticipation, festivity, and in some instances, hurried activities in preparation for the holiday season. Throughout the world, different cultures and communities celebrate this day in a variety of manners.

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Happy family having Christmas Eve dinner at the dining room table

Christmas Eve

#Religious#Culture

Christmas Eve marks the anticipation of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Alarm clock in miniature shopping trolley on blue background copy space

Last-Minute Shopper’s Day

#Shopping

A day dedicated to individuals rushing to finish their holiday shopping just days before Christmas.

Interesting Facts of December 24th

  1. 1. December 24th is recognized around the world as Christmas Eve, celebrated by Christians and many non-Christians as the evening before Christmas Day, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ.
  2. 2. In 1914, during World War I, an unofficial Christmas truce on December 24th took place between German and British troops. Soldiers from both sides ventured into "no man's land" to exchange seasonal greetings and sing carols.
  3. 3. The Apollo 8 spacecraft orbited the moon on December 24, 1968, becoming the first manned mission to do so. The crew members broadcast a live, televised Christmas Eve message in which they read from the Book of Genesis.
  4. 4. In Italy, December 24th marks the occasion of La Vigilia, the Feast of the Seven Fishes, when families gather for a grand meal of fish and other seafood in anticipation of the midnight birth of Jesus.
  5. 5. Many cultures have their own unique traditions on December 24th. For instance, in Iceland, the tradition of Jólabókaflóð, or the "Christmas Book Flood," involves exchanging books as gifts on Christmas Eve and then spending the evening reading.
  6. 6. NORAD's "Santa Tracker" tradition began on December 24, 1955, when a Sears ad printed the wrong phone number for Santa, and instead directed children to the hotline of the Director of Operations for the U.S. Continental Air Defense. The officers on duty gave updates on Santa’s progress and the tradition has continued ever since.