# Question For Those Who Celebrate Christmas



## Backwoods Presbyterian (Dec 25, 2009)

Why do you have the celebration of the Incarnation on the Eve and not actually on Christmas Day?

Serious question, not trying to be provocative.


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## Vonnie Dee (Dec 25, 2009)

In the church that I grew up in, we actually had Christmas morning service. This was very similar to our Sunday morning service except my Dad, who is the pastor, would wear his green Christmas leisure suit. He did this well into the nineties when he couldn't fit it any more. Since I left that church, I have never been in a church that had a Christmas service. I actually miss it. Even though we will speak of the true celebration in our home, the service was great for setting a focus for the day. Did I address the meaning of your question?


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Dec 25, 2009)

Yes Evon. I am just curious as to why there is not a gathered worship service on the day of the observance of the Incarnation and instead one (or several) on the Eve. 

I grew up going to Christmas Eve services and have always wondered this. 

For full disclosure the church we attend does have a Christmas Eve service. I asked this question of my Pastor and he said it was just tradition to have the service on the Eve and have private celebration on the day.


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## rbcbob (Dec 25, 2009)

Other than when Christmas fell on the Lord's day I have not gone to a church service on Christmas since my RC days in the '60s.


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## AThornquist (Dec 25, 2009)

My family has always observed the Christmas tradition, though I have grown to not like it. The serious answer as to why we might have a service on the Eve and not the day is because on the day we open presents, eat food, and chill out with family (and in my case work). How all of our "Christmas activities" relate to Christ, I don't know. I don't think they do. But claiming they really relate is traditional and an accepted excuse.


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## Wayne (Dec 25, 2009)

That's probably the pragmatic reality in answer to your question--the service would interfere with the festivities. Someone might offer a more historical counter to that, but for now that's my guess.


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## Guido's Brother (Dec 25, 2009)

In the Canadian Reformed Churches, the service commemorating Christ's birth has always been on the day, rather than on the eve. Maybe the "Eve" service is an American thing?


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## Herald (Dec 25, 2009)

It depends on what you mean by observance. We do not incorporate Santa Claus, Jingle Bells, or any other secular means of observance into worship. We had a midweek worship service this past Tuesday. I preached on the shepherds being told of Christ's birth (see my blog entry on 12/22 for a synopsis). The message of Christ's birth is always kept in balance with His death, burial, and resurrection. But the fact that the lowly shepherds received an angelic visitation to announce the Messiah's birth is an indication to me that it is a narrative that still needs to be proclaimed.

Why the evening before? Well, it's probably more tradition than anything else. Since the gospel is the central theme I'm not bothered by the timing of worship.


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## Kevin (Dec 25, 2009)

xmas is a multi day feast. In our culture/tradition we gather with our church on xmas eve, with our immediate family on xmas day, and with our extended family/friends on boxing day.

Our church includes Dutch, Swiss, English, Danish, and Korean immagrants. We have discussed how everyone of them have distinct & very different ways of observing the nativity.

I doubt that any of them are the result of a carefully planned, well thought out committee effort that started with terms of reference that included "item one, plan day of observation. item two, plan menus (turkey or goose)"

Like any cultural folk observance its reasons are lost in the mists of time. In our tradition, presbyterians hold that the session may set days of thanksgiving at their discression. the majority have selected xmas eve as one these days.


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## Marrow Man (Dec 25, 2009)

Backwoods Presbyterian said:


> Why do you have the celebration of the Incarnation on the Eve and not actually on Christmas Day?
> 
> Serious question, not trying to be provocative.



To be as much like the Roman Catholics as possible. 

Seriously, you have Protestant churches around here trying to have services on Christmas Eve, complete with communion, as close to midnight as possible. Does that not seem very RC?

We have a service on Christmas Eve, but at 7 pm (I may request it be moved to 5 pm next year) and w/o the Lord's Supper. It is mainly "Lessons and Carols," but I preached on Isaiah 9:6-7 as well.


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## NRB (Dec 31, 2009)

As a former RC(born and raised) and a new Presbyterian, PCA I was shocked that our church had a 5pm and an 11pm Christmas Eve service, with communion. The 11pm service is very RC-ish In my humble opinion.
Reminded me of the midnight mass I was dragged too as a child by my foks!
I attended neither. Had planned on the 5pm service but alas, shopping went overtime with the wife.
Just sharing.


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## au5t1n (Dec 31, 2009)

It wouldn't be practical because people wouldn't attend. Between opening and playing with presents and preparing and eating meals with relatives they don't usually see, most families don't have time for a worship service.


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## Nate (Dec 31, 2009)

austinww said:


> It wouldn't be practical because people wouldn't attend. Between opening and playing with presents and preparing and eating meals with relatives they don't usually see, most families don't have time for a worship service.


 
Interesting answer. I've grown up in two different churches that have a service on Christmas day, not on Christmas eve. In both churches, 90+% of the congregation attends, and I haven't heard grumblings about the service getting in the way of the parties.


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## jwithnell (Dec 31, 2009)

I thought the Christmas eve service had two origins: one was the idea of having the church gathered as the night passed into Christmas (i.e., an 11 p.m. service). It also seems like some families traditionally gathered on Christmas Eve -- perhaps an English tradition? Our church considers this service to be a tremendous opportunity to reach out to the local community -- weather permitting, we carol and hand out invitations that give the reason for Christmas (the gospel).


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## Edward (Dec 31, 2009)

Not the practice at the church where I'm currently a member; but when I was younger, the practice was to have the service start at 11:00, with it timed to end at midnight, so you could exit to Christmas morning. 

It is my understanding that the service has tended to drift earlier to accommodate older folks and families with younger children. 

Disclaimer. I'm not advocating a position here, just attempting to answer the question asked.


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## jambo (Dec 31, 2009)

Over here most churches, if not all, have a Christmas morning service but I am not aware of any (although I am sure there must be some) that have a Christmas Eve service.

I recall one autumn about 20 years ago preaching in a presbyterian church then having Sunday lunch with the minister and his wife afterwards. He was telling me over dinner that a woman had said to him after the service that because Christmas was on a Sunday that year would they not cancel the service! Needless to say the minister was most definitely not amused


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## au5t1n (Dec 31, 2009)

NateLanning said:


> austinww said:
> 
> 
> > It wouldn't be practical because people wouldn't attend. Between opening and playing with presents and preparing and eating meals with relatives they don't usually see, most families don't have time for a worship service.
> ...


 
I've never heard of that, but I can understand that it would work if people are used to it. At the churches I have been to, if the pastor told the congregation there was going to be a Christmas day service, I would be very surprised if he could expect even 25% attendance.


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## Philip (Dec 31, 2009)

I think it a throwback to some RC/Anglican practices--but not necessarily unbiblical.


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## DMcFadden (Dec 31, 2009)

The answer clear and simple is "tradition." Whether a spillover of RC or Anglican traditions or the Christmas Eve Eucharistic traditions typical for Germany and Scandinavia (e.g., "Krippenspiele"), large segments of the church choose to observe the incarnation with songs and Scriptures, piggybacking on existing secular days of celebration. This is NOT a Lord's Day celebration (unless it is on a Sunday). However, it IS a time to enjoy God's gift and the family of Christ. Incidentally, with 17 of us assembled last week (including my mother and only sibling), we went to our Christmas Eve service, enjoyed In-N-Out burgers, and then opened our gifts.


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## JBaldwin (Jan 1, 2010)

The RC and Anglican Churches where I've had connections in the past have Christmas Eve observance to hail the coming of Christ (the manger scenes have no child in them) and another observance on Christmas morning with the baby in the manger to celebrate the arrival. Since this is very RC, I always assumed this was the origins of the practice. The presbyterian churches around here, including ours, have a Christmas Eve worship service to start off the Christmas celebration focused on the Lord.


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