"Christmas Eve has always held a special place in my heart. I come from a very large Brazilian family. The holidays are loud, busy, and, most of all, festive. As a child growing up in Brazil, Christmas looked very different than it does now that I’m a mom living in Brooklyn, New York. But some Christmas Eve traditions have remained the same for my family.
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Every year, our big family holiday celebration falls on Christmas Eve, and I have to be honest, it’s so much better than Christmas Day. In Brazil, Christmas Eve is all about togetherness and anticipation. A typical Brazilian Christmas Eve is full of laughter, family togetherness, and, of course, lots of food.
As a kid, Christmas Eve gatherings were always BIG. So many kids running around playing and a feeling of something special in the air. When we moved away, having smaller Christmas Eve dinners with just our immediate family of five felt way too quiet. The noise and music and liveliness of our Noite de Natal always make me nostalgic. When we’ve been lucky to spend the holidays with Brazilian family over the years, it brings me so much joy.
Christmas Eve Feast
What we call a “ceia de Natal” is the centerpiece of the whole night. That translates to “Christmas feast,” but it’s more meaningful than that and signifies the importance of that date. It was one of the few days a year I remember being allowed to stay up late. I got to drink out of the same fancy cups as the grown-ups (a little soda in a champagne flute!). Traditionally, we would stay up until midnight to watch midnight mass on TV.
For me, these moments leading up to midnight were magical. Staying up past midnight felt so special, like being allowed into a secret grown-up world. I remember sitting with my cousins, trying so hard not to fall asleep, and getting a new jolt of energy at midnight when we were allowed to open gifts.
Those Christmas Eve traditions are some of the most special memories of my childhood. And we still continue some of these with our family today!
Christmas Eve Traditions I’m Passing Down to My Family
Family traditions are an interesting thing. You might not realize you’re creating one as you go and then look back and notice your kids are counting on that same thing every year. We’ve definitely made some of our own new Christmas Eve traditions over the years, and there are a few I will always carry close to my heart.
Here are some Christmas Eve traditions, both old and new, that I’m making sure to pass on.
One Gift at Midnight
Traditionally, we each got to choose one gift from under the tree at my aunt’s house and open it at midnight. It was, of course, as a kid, my favorite part of the night. So, I don’t let my son stay up until midnight, but he is allowed to open one present (from us) before bed on Christmas Eve. We also have opted to do this as a Secret Santa with my immediate family so that each kid gets one present on Christmas Eve.
Leaving Your Shoes by Your Bed
OK, this is a weird one. Growing up, I had to leave shoes next to my bed because that is where Santa would put my gifts. Totally different, I know! I’ve tried to convince my 8-year-old to take this one on. He thinks it’s way too weird (the exact words were, “mom, that’s sus”) but is willing to give it a try this year.
Staying Up Late
Sure, midnight is really late for little kids, but it’s also really special. There’s something about the clock striking midnight on Christmas Eve that brings with it almost the same feeling as New Year’s Eve. It’s finally Christmas! And sharing that together as a sleepy kid felt so magical.
Setting Out Cookies for Santa
This was my favorite American Christmas Eve tradition my family adopted. We have carried it on with the next generation over the years, and my nephews and son always work together to put the plate out for Santa. And, of course, don’t forget carrots for the reindeer. A great sneaky part of this tradition is mom and dad also get to eat cookies before bed and say it was Santa.
Santa Tracker
While we are on the subject of Santa, I am my family’s official Santa Tracker. When my oldest nephew was around 5, we started tracking Santa’s whereabouts on Christmas Eve using the Norad Tracker. We kept the tradition with his brother and my other two nephews. Now it’s cool to see the older cousins tracking Santa with my little guy.
Adding Ornaments to the Tree
We always decorated the tree on Christmas Eve when I was little. Nowadays we add one special ornament to our tree each year, and we will put that new ornament up on Christmas Eve.
Saying Goodbye to the Elf
If you follow the Elf on the Shelf tradition, this is a great one. We sit down together to write a goodbye note to our Elf, and usually our Elf lets my son give him a hug as a special treat on Christmas Eve.
Final Thoughts on Christmas Eve Traditions
While I love celebrating Christmas Day, to me there will always be something more special about Christmas Eve. Maybe it’s the nostalgia of having left the place I called home at an early age; maybe it’s that it feels less formal and sometimes even cozier. Christmas Eve to me is where the magic of the holidays happens.
It’s a night that embodies everything I love about Christmas: family, togetherness, and the shared anticipation of something wonderful. No matter where I am in the world, Christmas Eve will always be my favorite time to celebrate.
Roberta Correia, Editor-in-Chief
Roberta is an editor with 10+ years experience in content strategy and brand building. Before joining The Everymom she was Editorial Director at Brides and previously served as Digital Editor at Women’s Wear Daily. She grew up in Brazil and currently calls Brooklyn home with her son, Lucas.