CEBU CITY, Philippines – Christmas and New Year are two of the biggest celebrations people look forward to each year.
But why does everyone also celebrate the eve of Christmas and New Year? And why are they called Christmas and New Year’s Eve?
The word ‘eve’ refers to ‘the day or period of time immediately before an occasion,’ according to Oxford Languages. It can mean the day before, night before, or period before an event.
Christmas Eve falls every December 24. As defined by Britannica, it is the day before Christmas, a Christian holiday.
Meanwhile, New Year’s Eve is every December 31, which is the last day of the year, and the day before January 1 of the next year.
Contrary to popular belief, the ‘eve’ on Christmas and New Year does not refer only to the evening but to the entire day before these occasions.
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