Christmas Eve Traditions Around the World

In Germany and Austria the main family celebration is Heiligabend, Christmas Eve. The tree is lit late in the afternoon, gifts are exchanged in front of it, and the meal that follows is often quiet rather than lavish.

Carp, sausages with potato salad or fondue are common. The atmosphere is more church bells and candlelight than groaning table.

Across much of Latin America, Nochebuena on December 24 is the heart of Christmas. Families gather for a long late dinner that runs past midnight, often featuring roast pork, tamales or a regional centerpiece.

Midnight mass, fireworks and music are common. Gifts are typically opened after midnight, once Christmas Day has officially arrived.

Italian and Italian-American families often mark Christmas Eve with a long meal built around seafood. The Feast of the Seven Fishes can stretch for hours, with dishes ranging from simple anchovies to baked cod and seafood pasta.

The tradition has southern Italian roots and is now widely celebrated abroad, particularly in the United States.

Christmas is not a public holiday in Japan, but Christmas Eve has become a romantic evening for couples — closer to Valentine's Day than to family Christmas elsewhere.

Fried chicken and strawberry shortcake are iconic Christmas Eve foods. Restaurants and hotels are booked weeks in advance.

However different the menu, December 24 is the night most of the world stops and gathers. Light, food, presence and a small ritual to mark the longest part of winter — those four ingredients keep showing up everywhere.