25 Fun Christmas Eve Traditions Around the World

[Updated 10/26/22] The day before a holiday isn’t often considered a holiday itself. But when it comes to Christmas and New Year Traditions Around the World, revelers seem determined to make the most of the celebrations.

When you look at Christmas traditions, it seems as if one day just isn’t enough. It’s almost as if we can’t bear to wait: We simply have to introduce “eve” celebrations! Isn’t that wonderful?

The myriad Christmas Eve traditions around the world are both numerous and varied.

There are tons of Christmas Eve dinner traditions. Many of the religious Christmas Eve traditions around the world are also recognized as Christmas Day events, because they last past midnight and well into the morning.

Some traditions on Christmas Eve are fairly ubiquitous, such as the midnight mass service. Other Xmas Eve traditions—such as giving apples or surfing—are unique to certain regions, countries, or hemispheres.

For those of us who are jingling the bells to get moving with the holiday celebrations, here are some fascinating ways to go international and start the revelry as soon as possible.

Or it might just be fun to learn how Christmas is cranking up around the planet…

READ MORE: 90 Christmas Traditions Around the World (with Fun Christmas Facts)

Christmas Eve Traditions Around the World Guide

1. Ethiopia
2. China
3. Philippines
4. Armenia
5. Russia
6. Japan
7. Bethlehem
8. Australia and New Zealand
9. Spain
10. Norway
11. Poland
12. Italy
13. Iceland
14. Ireland
15. Germany
16. Ukraine
17. Denmark
18. France
19. England
20. Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama
21. USA
22. Mexico
23. Canada
24. Brazil
25. Venezuela

Christmas Eve Traditions in Africa

1. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church uses a different calendar than most of Europe and North America.

For them, Christmas Eve (called the gahad of Christmas) is on January 6th and Christmas Day on January 7th.

Ethiopian Christmas Eve traditions have serious religious fervor. Christmas Eve mass begins at about 6 PM on Christmas Eve and extends through to about 3 AM on Christmas Day.

Most people wear traditional clothing called netela, a thin white cloth with colored stripes at the end.

READ MORE: 25 Symbols of Christmas: The History & Meaning of Traditional Christmas Decor

Christmas Eve Traditions in Asia

2. The traditional Christmas Eve activity in China—one of many countries that don’t celebrate Christmas usually—is to…