平安夜

平安夜 12月24日，即聖誕節前夕，在大部份基督教社會是聖誕節慶祝節日之一。平安夜傳統上是擺設聖誕樹的日子，但隨著聖誕節的慶祝活動提早開始進行，例如美國在感恩節後，不少聖誕樹早在聖誕節前數星期已被擺設。

在英國，平安夜如在工作日，有時會被銀行及貿易公司視為短日(下午休息)。

天主教的聖誕季節在平安夜開始。除非當日是星期日，(see Advent), the Mass of the Vigil is said on the morning of December 24. It is forbidden, however, to anticipate the Mass of Christmas before midnight. The Christmas season continues through until January 4, or if that be a Saturday, until January 5, when the Vigil of the Epiphany is celebrated.

傳統上不少基督徒會在平安夜參與子夜彌撒或聚會，通常在世界各地的教堂內舉行，以表示聖誕日的開始。一些教會則會在晚上較早時間舉行燭光崇拜。 These often feature dramatizations of the Nativity. 通常亦會享用大餐，通常有火雞或火腿作為主菜。德國的傳統菜色則有燒鯉魚(carp)。

平安夜亦被認為是聖誕老人及其他地區類似人物四處向好兒童派禮物的時間。在意大利，禮物在平安夜當日早上已開啟，而在英國、愛爾蘭、瑞典、丹麥、挪威、芬蘭、葡萄牙及波蘭，聖誕禮物通常在平安夜晚上或聖誕日早上開啟。 In most parts of Germany Christmas presents are opened in the evening of December 24th ('Bescherung'). In Iceland Christmas start at 6:00 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Church bells ring at that time and people either sit down for holiday dinner at home or with closest family. After that they open gifts and spend the evening together. In North America, there is a mixture of families opening gifts in the evening and, more commonly, on Christmas Day morning. In families where a divorce has occurred, children may spend one day with one part of the family, and the next with the other. In extended families where two branches of the family reside within a reasonable driving distance, many families may choose to spend Christmas Eve with the maternal side of the family and Christmas Day with the paternal side, or vice-versa. In Spain gifts are opened on the morning of January 6th, Epiphany day ("Día de reyes").

Most Christmas stories start or take place on this day.

外部連結

• Santa Club - A free club for everyone interested in Christmas