Christmas is always celebrated on the 25th of December every year. However, some countries do not hold their own Christmas celebration on the same day as others. Countries like France, Italy, and England, all have their Christmas celebration on a different day.
Why Some Countries Celebrate Christmas on the 24th: A Look into the History and Traditions
While some countries even celebrate their Christmas before the usual day, others mark their Christmas celebration in the early days of January. The purpose of this article, however, is to give a listing of the various countries in the world that celebrate Christmas on the 24th of December. We will also expose you to the reasons for such peculiarities in the date they have selected for the seasonal celebration. Follow through!
Germany
Christmas in Germany is celebrated right from the morning of December 24. They set up their Christmas décor in the morning and begin the Christmas celebration proper like it were December 25th.
Iceland
Just like many other countries in Europe, Iceland also starts Christmas celebration on the 24th of December. They also attend the midnight mass that night.
Denmark
Just like other Scandinavian countries, Christmas is celebrated on the 24th day of December in Denmark. This is the day they have their public holiday and also take on the different Christmas day rituals.
Portugal
In Portugal also, Christmas public holiday is on the 24th of December. It is the day set aside for their celebration of Christmas. The nativity scene is a standard feature for décor in this part of the world. You can see them all around homes before that day.
If you are wondering, the reason for this is the difference in the calendar used by different countries. While some make use of the Julian calendar, others make use of a different kind of schedule. So, the calendar sometimes reflects as a later date in January. This explains the difference in time.