In the Philippines, the custom has expanded into the nine-day Simbang Gabi, when Filipinos attend dawn Masses (traditionally beginning around 04:00 to 05:00 PST) from 16 December, continuing daily until Christmas Eve.

[11] A nativity scene may be erected indoors or outdoors, and is composed of figurines depicting the infant Jesus resting in a manger, Mary, and Joseph.

[13] Throughout congregations of the various denominations of Christianity, on Christmas Eve, the Christ Candle in the center of the Advent wreath is traditionally lit in many church services.

"Krippenspiele" (Nativity plays), special festive music for organ, vocal and brass choirs and candlelight services make Christmas Eve one of the most beloved days in the Lutheran Church calendar.

After the dismissal at the end of the service, a new candle is brought out into the center of the church and lit, and all gather round and sing the Troparion and Kontakion of the Feast.

The Byzantine services of Christmas Eve are intentionally parallel to those of Good Friday, illustrating the theological point that the purpose of the Incarnation was to make possible the Crucifixion and Resurrection.

[15] The meal is often accompanied with wine or Bulgaria's traditional alcoholic beverage rakia, in the past olovina (a type of homemade rye beer).

It is expected that the entire family will be at the table to start tasting the frijoles negros dormidos (sleeping black beans) and the arroz blanco desgranado y reluciente (shredded white rice), the yuca con mojo (a Cuban side dish made by marinating cassava in garlic, sour orange, and olive oil), the roasted pork or the stuffed or unfilled guanajo, along with homemade desserts, such as Christmas fritters, and a wide range of sweets in syrup and Spanish nougat.

The visit to the archipelago of Pope John Paul II, in 1998, prompted the Cuban government, in a gesture of goodwill, to declare 25 December again as a holiday, which it had not been for several decades.

[citation needed] In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, fasting on the day of Christmas Eve (or only eating meatless food) is a medieval tradition.

Traditional Christmastime treats include Lebkuchen (gingerbread), Stollen (fruit cake), Speculaas and marzipan (almond confectionery often made into sweets).

It is quite common to attend Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and practice the old custom of abstinence from meat on the day (but not fasting, which is observed by the Eastern Orthodox Church).

In various cultures, a festive dinner is traditionally served for the family and close friends in attendance, when the first star (usually Sirius) appears in the sky.

Common traditional dishes served for the main course include: lechón, various types of pancit (noodles), Filipino spaghetti, hamonado, jamón, queso de bola, morcón, embutido, chicken galantina, almondigas (meatballs), paelya (arroz valenciana, bringhe, etc.

), lumpia, menudo, mechado, caldereta, callos, chicken pastel, relyenong bangús (stuffed milkfish), lengua estofado, adobo, and various types of barbecue (inihaw).

[citation needed] In the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, the traditional Christmas Eve dinner consists of arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas), lechón asado (pig roast) or pernil asado (pork roast shoulder), morcilla (rice-filled pork blood sausage), pasteles (root vegetable-based dough, meat-filled tamale), guineitos en escabeche (marinated, sliced green bananas), ensalada de papa puertorriqueña (Puerto Rican potato salad), and ensalada de coditos puertorriqueña (Puerto Rican macaroni salad).

[42] The traditional Christmas Eve desserts are arroz con dulce (coconut rice pudding), tembleque (coconut pudding), flan de queso o coco (cheese or coconut caramel custard), tierrita (chocolate mousse), turrón, galletas florecitas (small meringue-topped biscuits), Danish butter biscuits, nueces surtidas (assorted shelled nuts), bombones dulces de navidad surtidos (assorted Christmas hard candy).

As well as a round, unleavened loaf of bread and salt, which are necessary, this meal may comprise roast fish, cooked beans, sauerkraut, noodles with ground walnuts, honey, and wine.

Families in some Slavic countries leave an empty place at the table for guests (alluding to Mary and Joseph looking for shelter in Bethlehem).

The main attributes of the Holy Supper in Ukraine are kutia, a poppy seed, honey and wheat dish, and uzvar, a drink made from reconstituted dried fruits.

In Venezuela, hallacas are normally the staple dish for Noche Buena alongside of either ham or pork leg known as "pernil", panettone, rum and "Ponche Crema" (a form of alcoholic eggnog).

Mikuláš/szent Mikulás) gives gifts on 6 December, the Christmas gift-giver is the Child Jesus (Ježíšek in Czech, Jézuska in Hungarian, Ježiško in Slovak and Isusek in Croatian).

[47] In Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland, presents are traditionally exchanged on the evening of 24 December.

In Estonia Jõuluvana, Finland Joulupukki, Denmark Julemanden, Norway Julenissen and Sweden Jultomten, personally meets children and gives presents in the evening of Christmas Eve.

[49][50] In Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Colombia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, the Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Quebec (French Canada), Romania, Uruguay, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, and Switzerland, Christmas presents are opened mostly on the evening of the 24th—following German tradition, this is also the practice among the British Royal Family since it was introduced by Queen Victoria and Albert, Prince Consort[51][52]—while in Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Malta, English Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, this occurs mostly on the morning of Christmas Day.

Some countries do their gift-giving earlier in the month, connected to the tradition either Epiphany (in Spain, the morning of 6 January[53]) or Sinterklaas (Belgium and the Netherlands, on the evening of 5 December[54]).

Elements common to many areas of the world include the attendance of special religious observances such as a midnight Mass or Vespers and the giving and receiving of presents.

They began by placing candles on trees, then continued the celebration by singing Christmas carols, most notably Stille Nacht ("Silent Night").

On 24 December 1968, in what was the most watched television broadcast to that date, the Apollo 8 astronauts Bill Anders, Jim Lovell and Frank Borman surprised the world with a reading of the Creation from the Book of Genesis as they orbited the Moon.

The stamp featured a detail of Anders' famous photograph Earthrise of the Earth "rising" over the Moon (NASA image AS8-14-2383HR), taken on Christmas Eve, and the words, "In the beginning God...".