Synonyms

Christmas Eve

American

noun

the evening or the day preceding Christmas.

Christmas Eve British

noun

the evening or the whole day before Christmas Day

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Christmas Eve

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Christmas Eve

In 2010, he started an annual Christmas Eve busk in Dublin City Centre, which attracted high-profile musicians including Sinéad O'Connor and Shane McGowan.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

His charity work has included Dublin's annual Christmas Eve charity busk in support of the Dublin Simon Community.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

On Christmas Eve in 2022, Gomes Akay and Porsberg checked into a hotel in El Segundo after traveling from New Jersey, according to the release.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 4, 2026

Last Christmas Eve, a 77-year-old woman in New Delhi got an unexpected call from what she thought was the police.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 30, 2026

Mama said absolutely, definitely no apartment showings on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023