I Can’t Sleep - Christmas Eve | Relaxing Bedtime Reading for Sleep

Episode Date: December 24, 2024

Drift off with this calm bedtime reading about Christmas Eve, created to ease insomnia and bring a sense of peace during the holiday season. In this soothing episode, Benjamin explores the traditions, history, and cultural celebrations of Christmas Eve across the world. His steady, comforting narration turns festive details into peaceful storytelling, helping you release stress and quiet your thoughts. There is no whispering or hypnosis, only calm, fact-filled narration designed to guide you toward rest. Press play, close your eyes, and let the gentle story of Christmas Eve carry you into slumber. Want More? Request a Topic: https://www.icantsleeppodcast.com/request-a-topic Ad-Free Episodes: https://icantsleep.supportingcast.fm/ Shop Sleep-Friendly Products: https://www.icantsleeppodcast.com/sponsors Join the Discussion on Discord: https://discord.gg/myhGhVUhn7 This content is derived from the Wikipedia article on Christmas Eve, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) license. Read the full article: Wikipedia – Christmas Eve. Happy sleeping! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're listening to a Glassbox media podcast. What if I told you that most of the modern day self-help advice you've been hearing could actually make you worse? The key to a better life isn't about feel-good gimmicks that sound catchy. The Mentally Stronger Podcast gives you access to a licensed therapist who shares science-backed tools that will actually change your life. Hi, I'm Amy Morin, psychotherapist, mental strength trainer, and international best-selling author. In each episode, we cover research-back strategies, like how to stop relying on willpower and start creating habits for lasting change. And the five mental strength-building exercises you can do from your couch.

I also speak to world-class experts like Dr. Nicole Kane, who shares how to permanently heal anxiety by addressing the root cause. With over 200 episodes in our catalog, this podcast is for you if you're ready to crush self-doubt, conquer challenges, and become stronger than ever with therapist-approved strategies that can change your life. Listen to Mentally Stronger with Therapist Amy Morin, wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to the I Can't Sleep podcast, where I read random articles from across the web to bore you to sleep with my soothing voice. I'm your host, Benjamin Boster. Today's episode is from a Wikipedia article titled Christmas Eve.

Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation of Christmas Day. Together, both days are considered, one of the most culturally significant celebrations in Christendom and Western society. Christmas celebrations in the denominations of Western Christianity

have long begun on Christmas Eve, due in part to the Christian liturgical days starting at sunset, a practice inherited from Jewish tradition, and based on the story of creation in the book of Genesis. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. Many churches still ring their church bells and hold prayers in the evening. For example, the Nordic Lutheran churches. Since tradition holds that Jesus was born at night, based in Luke chapter 2 verses 6 through 8, Midnight Mass is celebrated on Christmas Eve, traditionally at midnight, in commemoration of his birth. The idea of Jesus being born at night is

reflected in the fact that Christmas Eve is referred to as Heiligenacht, Holy Night in German. Nocee Buena, the Good Night in Spanish, and similarly in other expressions of Christmas spirituality, such as the song Silent Night, Holy Night. Many other varying cultural traditions and experiences are also associated with Christmas Eve around the world, including the gathering of family and friends, the singing of Christmas carols, the illumination and enjoyment of Christmas lights, trees, and other decorations, the wrapping, exchanging, and opening of gifts, and general preparation for Christmas Day. Legendary Christmas gift-bearing figures, including Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Christkind, and St. Nicholas, are also often said to depart for their annual journey to deliver presents,

to children around the world on Christmas Eve. Although until the Protestant introduction of Christkind and 16th century Europe, such figures were said to instead deliver presents on the eve of St. Nicholas' Feast Day, the 6th of December. Western churches have traditionally observed Christmas Eve, properly the vigil of the Nativity, as a liturgical observance distinct from the masses of Christmas Day, with the proper gospel at the Mass for the Vigil of the Nativity,

being that of the Annunciation to Joseph in Matthew 1. The vigil of the nativity is not so much the first day of Christmas as it is the last day of Advent, and so it traditionally retains the liturgical color of violet. In traditional Western liturgical practice, when the fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve occur on the same day, The Sunday Mass is of Christmas Eve, and the fourth Sunday of Advent is only commemorated. The festivities of Christmas Day have, however, extended farther and farther back into Christmas Eve.

While Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and some Anglicans traditionally celebrate midnight Mass, the first Mass of Christmas, either at or near midnight on Christmas Eve, some churches have in recent decades, scheduled their midnight mass as early as 7 p.m. in an effort to better accommodate young children, whose choral singing has become a popular feature in some traditions. Midnight mass is held in churches throughout the world and celebrates the birth of Christ, which is believed to have occurred at night. Midnight mass is popular in Poland and Lithuania. In Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula, the midnight mass is also referred to as Roosters Mass,

Misa de Gaio in Spanish, Miso do Galo in Portuguese, and Misa del Galle in Catalan. In the Philippines, a custom is expanded into the nine-day Simbangabi, when Filipinos attend dawn masses, traditionally beginning around four to five in the morning, from the 16th of December continuing daily until Christmas Eve. In 2009, Vatican officials scheduled the midnight mass to start at 10 p.m. so that the 82-year-old Pope Benedict XVIth would not have too late in eyed. A nativity scene may be erected indoors or outdoors, and is composed of figurings depicting the infant Jesus resting in a manger,

Mary and Joseph. Other figures in the scene may include angels, shepherds, and various animals. The figures may be made of any material, and arranged in a stable or grotto. The Magi may also appear and are sometimes not placed in the scene until the week following Christmas to account for their travel time to Bethlehem. While most home nativity scenes are packed away at Christmas or shortly thereafter, nativity scenes and churches usually remain on display until the feast of the baptism of the Lord. Whilst it does not include any kind of Mass,

the Church of Scotland has a service beginning just before, four midnight and which carols are sung. The Church of Scotland no longer holds Hogmanet services on New Year's Eve, but the Christmas Eve services are still very popular. On Christmas Eve, the Christ candle in the center of the Advent wreath is traditionally lit in many church services. In candle-eyed services, while singing Silent Night, each member of the congregation receives a candle and passes along their flame, which is first received from the Christ candle. Lutherans traditionally practice Christmas Eve Eucharist traditions, typical of Germany and Scandinavia. Krippenspiela, 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. Christmas Vespers is popular in the earth. early evening, and midnight masses are also widespread in regions which are predominantly Lutheran. The old Lutheran tradition of a Christmas vigil in the early morning hours of Christmas Day can still be found in some regions. In Eastern and Middle Germany, congregation still continues a tradition of Kempas singing, separate groups dispersed in various parts of the church, sing verses of the song, He whom shepherds once came praising, responsibly.

Methodists celebrate the evening in different ways. Some in the early evening come to their church to celebrate Holy Communion with their families. The mood is very solemn, and the only visible light is the Advent wreaths and the candles upon the Lord's table. Others celebrate the evening with services of light, which includes singing the song Silent Night, as a variety of candles, including personal candles, are lit. Other churches have late evening services, perhaps at 11 p.m., so that the church can celebrate Christmas Day together with the ringing of bells at midnight. Others offer Christmas Day services as well.

The annual Nine Lessons and Carols broadcast from King's College, Cambridge on Christmas Eve, has established itself a Christmas custom in the United Kingdom. It is broadcast outside the UK via the BBC World Service and is also bought by broadcasters around the world. In the Byzantine right, Christmas Eve is referred to as parimony, preparation. It is the concluding day of the Nativity fast and is observed as a day of strict fasting by those devout Byzantine Christians who are physically capable of doing so.

In some traditions, nothing is eaten until the first star appears in the evening sky, in commemoration of the star of Bethlehem. The liturgical celebration begins earlier in the day with the celebration of the royal hours, followed by the divine liturgy combined with the celebration of espers, during which a large number of passages

from the Old Testament are chanted, recounting the history of salvation. 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 to sing the Troparion and Contagion of the feast. In the evening, the all-night vigil for the feast of the Nativity is composed of the great complen, matins, and the first hour. 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. This is illustrated in eastern icons of the nativity, on which the Christ child is wrapped in swaddling clothes reminiscent of his burial wrappings. The child is also shown lying on a stone, representing the tomb of Christ. rather than a manger. The cave of the nativity is also a reminder of the cave in which Jesus was buried. The services of Christmas Eve are also similar to those of the Eve of Theophony, Epiphany,

and the two great feasts are considered one celebration. In some Orthodox cultures after the Vesperal Liturgy, the family returns home to a festive meal, but one at which Orthodox fasting rules are still observed. No meat or dairy products are consumed. Then they return to the church for the All-night vigil. The next morning, Christmas Day, the divine liturgy is celebrated again, but with special features that occur only on great feasts of the Lord.

After the dismissal of this liturgy, the faithful customarily greet each other with the kiss of peace and the words Christ is born, to which the one being greeted responds, glorify him, the opening words of the canon of the nativity that was chanted the night before during the vigil. This greeting, together with many of the hymns of the feast, continue to be passed until the leave-taking of the feast on December 31st. The first three days of the feast are particularly solemn, the second day. is known as the synaxis of the Theotokos and commemorates the role of the Virgin Mary in the

nativity of Jesus. The third day is referred to simply as the third day of the nativity. The Saturday and Sunday following the 25th of December have special epistle and gospel readings assigned to them. The 29th of December celebrates the Holy Innocence. Byzantine Christians observe a festal period of 12 days. during which no one in the church fast, even on Wednesdays and Fridays, which are normal fasting days throughout the rest of the year. During this time, one feast leads into another. The 25th through the 31st of December is the after-feast of the Nativity. A second through the 5th of January is the four-feast of the Epiphany.

Christmas Eve Dinner In Bulgaria, the meal consists of an odd number of. lenten dishes in compliance with the rules of fasting. They are usually the traditional Sarma, Bob Chorba, Bean soup, Fortune cravai, pastry with a fortune in it, also called Bogavitsa, verchenik, kolodnik, stuffed peppers, nuts, dried fruit, boiled weed. The meal is often accompanied with wine or Bulgaria's traditional alcoholic beverage, In the past, Olavina, a type of homemade rye beer.

The meals used to be put on top of hay directly on the floor, together with a plowshare or a colder. Cuba. In Cuba, roasted pig is often the center of Christmas Eve, Noche Buena. It is believed that the tradition dates back to the 15th century when Caribbean colonists hunted down pigs and roasted them with a powerful flame. In Cuban and Cuban American tradition, the pig is sometimes cooked in Kaha China, a large box where an entire pig is placed below hot coals. The dinner features many side dishes and desserts, and often games of dominoes are played. The tradition is continued by Cuban families in Florida and the United States. The dinner on the 24th,

Forrest, Christmas Eve itself, is the center of the celebration. That day, it may also be the 31st. For many, it is important to wear a new piece of clothing, be it a jacket or underwear. The Cuban family does not have a fixed time for dinner. It is necessary, yes, in most of the island, to have it as a family, and it is expected to be all at the table to start taste in the frioles negro dormidos, sleeping black beans, and the aros blanco desgrano and reduciente shredded white rice. The yucca con mojo, Cuban side dish made by marinating yucar root, also known as cassava, and garlic, sour orange, and olive oil. The roasted pork or the stuffed or unfilled guanajo, that, along with homemade desserts, such as Christmas fritters and a wide range of sweets,

and syrup and Spanish nougat. The visit to the archipelago of Pope John Paul II in 1998 promoted the Cuban state in a gesture of goodwill to declare December 25th again as a holiday, which had stopped happening for several decades. Czech Republic. In the Czech Republic, fasting on the day of Christmas Eve, or only eating meatless food, is a medieval tradition.

The belief is that if one lasted until Christmas dinner, they would see a golden pig, which is a symbol of luck. A typical Christmas breakfast is a sweet braided bread, Vanochka. Christmas Eve dinner traditionally consists of a carp baked or fried and a potato salad. In French-speaking places, Révelillon is a long dinner eaten on Christmas Eve. In Guam and the northern Marianas, dishes include shrimp Kelleguyen, coconut crab, and candon octopus, octopus stewed and sweet peppers and coconut milk. Beef is a rarity, but a popular dish is Tenoctok, ground beef and coconut milk. Italy. Christmas in Italy begins on the 8th of December with a feast of the Immaculate Conception, the day on which traditionally the Christmas tree, is mounted and ends on January 6th of the following year with the epiphany.

According to tradition, the Christmas Eve dinner must not contain meat. 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. Traditions regarding the exchanging of gifts vary from region to region, as this may take place either on Christmas Eve or on Christmas Day. On December 24th, Christmas Eve, the Christmas Night Mass, also called Midnight Mass, is celebrated. While other Christian families throughout the world celebrate the Christmas Eve meal with various means,

Italians, especially Sicilians, celebrate their traditional Catholic Feast of the Seven Fishes, which was historically served after a 24-hour fasting period. Although Christmas fasting is no longer a popular custom, some Italian-Americans still enjoy a meatless Christmas Eve feast and attend the Midnight Mass. In various cultures, a festive dinner is traditionally served for the family and close friends and attendance, when the first star, usually serious, appears in the sky. Lithuania Lithuanian Christmas Eve blends pagan and Christian traditions, as initially it was a celebration of the winter solstice. Traditionally, Lithuanians believe that animals could talk on that night, and it was possible to predict the future with charms and various games. Kuchos, Holy Meal, is the most important event of the year in family reunion.

Dead relatives are remembered with an empty plate, set of the table. The feast starts after the rise of the evening star. No products made from meat, milk, and alcohol are allowed during the kuchos. In all, 12 dishes are served, all of them rustic, made from grains, fish, dried fruit or mushrooms, including kuchikai. Small biscuits soaked in poppy seed milk are served. After dinner is over, the table is left unclared overnight. for the feast of the Veles, spirits or soul. In Peru, Turkey and Panatone are the stars of Christmas Eve. In the Philippines, the traditional dinner, Noche Buena,

is served at midnight after the family attends the late evening mass, known as Misa de Gallo, sometimes referred to as Misa de Aguinaldo, gift mass. Common traditional dishes serve for the main course include Leshonne, lechon, various types of panseed noodles, Filipino spaghetti, ammonado, hamon, queso de bola, marcon, embutido, chicken galantina, almondigas, meatballs, paelia, aros valenciana, bringe, etc. Lumia, menudo, mechado, malderetta, cayos, chicken pastel,

Relyenong, Bangus, stuffed milkfish, Langua estofado, adobe, and various types of barbecue anyhow. Almost all of these dishes are eaten with white rice. Deserts and side dishes include Ubehalaya, Turon, Leciflon, macaroni salad, Mambrilyo, fruit salad, buco salad, crema de fruita, encemorae, champorado, mango float, fruit cake, castanias, roasted chestnuts, and various other caganine rice cakes, like puto bumbong, bibinka, zuman, biko, and sapon-sappan. Popular beverages are chocolatte, as well as coffee, soda, wine, beer, alcoholic drinks, and fruit juices.

Poland. In tradition similar to Italy, Vigilia or Christmas Vigil, exists in Poland. The number of dishes is traditionally 12, but has been an odd number in the past. According to the Swannik etymologichni Yazuka Pols-Gygo, the etymological dictionary of the Polish language by Alexander Bruckner, The number of dishes was traditionally related to the social class. The peasant's vigil consisted of five or seven dishes, the gentry usually had nine, and the aristocracy 11 dishes, but the even number 12 is also found today to remember the 12 apostles.

It is obligatory to try a portion of all of them. Some traditions specify that the number of guests cannot be odd. In Poland, gifts are unwrapped on Christmas Eve, as opposed to Christmas Day. It comes from viewing the traditions of St. Nicholas Day, the 6th of December, and Christmas. In the past, gifts were opened on the morning of St. Nicholas Day. In the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, the traditional Christmas Eve dinner consists of Arros con gandules, rice with pigeon peas, lechon asada, pig roast, or pernir-asada. pork roast shoulder, morcilla, rice-filled pork blood sausage, pasteles, root vegetable-based

dough, meat-filled tamale, guignettos in Esquebece, marinated sliced green bananas, Ensalada de Papa Puerto Ricoña, Puerto Rican potato salad, and Ensalada de Codidos Puerto Rican macaroni salad. The traditional Christmas Eve desserts are Arros con Dulce, Coconut Rice Pudding, Timbleque, Coconut Pudding, flanda-keso or cocoa, cheese or coconut caramel custard,

tiarrita, chocolate moose, turon, cayettes floracitas, small meringue-topped biscuits, Danish butter biscuits, nuises sortidas, assorted shelled nuts, bombones, dulces de navadaz sortidos, assorted Christmas hard candy. The traditional Christmas Eve beverages are coquito, coconut eggnog,

Don Q, or Bakardi, rum, and Pitoro, moonshine rum. Russia. Roshden-Spensky-Sochelnik was a common Eastern Orthodox tradition in the Russian Empire, but during the era of the Soviet Union, it was greatly discouraged as a result of the official atheism of the former regime. but the celebration itself has not yet regained its popularity among the people. Instead of the Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, is considered to be a traditional family celebration featuring the New Year tree, Serbia.

In accordance with the Christmas traditions of the Serbs, their festive meal has a copious and diverse selection of foods, although it is prepared according to the rules of fasting, As well as a round unleaven loaf of bread and salt, which are necessary, this meal may comprise roast fish, cooked beans, sourcrowd, 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, Ukraine. In Ukraine, Sviaty Vecher is traditionally celebrated with a meatless 12-dish Christmas Eve supper, or the Holy Supper.

The main attributes of the Holy Supper in Ukraine are Kucha, a poppy seed, honey, and wheat dish, and Udzvar, a drink made from reconstituted dry fruits. Other typical dishes are borsh, vereniki, and dishes made of fish, facelous, and cabbage. The twelve dishes symbolize the twelve apostles. Just as in Poland it is obligatory to try a portion of all of the dishes. The table is spread with a white cloth symbolic of the swaddling clothes of the child Jesus was wrapped in, and a large white candle stands in the center of the table, symbolizing Christ the light of the world. Next to it is the round loaf of bread, symbolizing Christ's bread of life.

Hay is often displayed either on the table or as a decoration in the room, reminiscent of the manger in Bethlehem. In Venezuela, Ayacas are normally the staple dish for Noche Buena, alongside of either ham or pork leg known as pernil, Panetone, rum, and ponche crema, a form of alcoholic eggnog. The night is usually accompanied by traditional Christmas music known as Aguinaldos. In Venezuela, the traditional music is known as Garabo, gift giving. During the Reformation in the 16th and 17th century Europe, many Protestants changed the gift-bringer to the Christ-child or Christkindle, and the date of giving gifts changed from

the 6th of December to Christmas Eve. It is a night when Santa Claus makes his rounds delivering gifts to good children. Many trace the custom of giving gifts to the Magi who brought gifts to the Christ Child in the manger. In Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia, where St. Nicholas gives gifts on the 6th of December, the Christmas gift giver is the child Jesus. In Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Presidents are traditionally exchanged on the evening of the 24th of December. Children are commonly told that presents were brought either by the Christkind, German for Christchild, or by Vinoxmann. Both leave the gifts, but are in most families not seen doing so. In Germany, the gifts are also brought on the 6th of December by the Nikolaus with his helper Necht Ruprecht. In Estonia, Yulavanna, Finland, Yulapuki, Denmark, Yulamandan, Norway, Yulunissan. In Sweden, Yulthumpton, personally meets children and gives presents on the evening of Christmas Eve. in Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Colombia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,

the Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Poland, Portugal, Quebec, French Canada, Romania, Uruguay, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, and Switzerland. Christmas presents are open 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. 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. In other Latin American countries, people stay awake until midnight when they open the presents.

In Spain, gifts are traditionally opened on the morning of the 6th of January, Epiphany Day, Di de los 3 Reyes Magos. Though in some other countries like Mexico, Argentina, and Uruguay, people receive presents both around Christmas and on the morning of Epiphany Day. In Belgium and the Netherlands, St. Nicholas or Sinterklaus and his companions Wattapiat deliver presents to children and adults alike on the evening of 5th of December, the eve of his name day. On the 24th of December, they go to church or watch the late night mass on TV or have a meal.