What is the origin of 'sleep tight'?
Read moreOne of the mysteries of the English language finally explained.
noun
The day or the evening before Christmas Day, 24 December.
- ‘Strolling carolers and music from a gold-leaf piano enliven holiday teas and a Christmas Eve brunch.’
- ‘This one occurred on a Christmas Eve a long time ago.’
- ‘So I prepared a Christmas Eve service that was very different and presented it to my supervisor a few days later.’
- ‘Now it's done; and going along to church for Evening Prayer reminded me suddenly of a Christmas Eve when I was quite new here.’
- ‘The Pueblo crew traveled to an air base west of Seoul, then an aircraft whisked them to Midway Island, and finally to San Diego for a Christmas Eve reunion with their families.’
- ‘Should you be invited to share a Christmas Eve with a Bulgarian family, note that the traditional meal is vegetarian, as the night represents the last of the ‘Posti’ pre-Christmas fast.’
- ‘One local publican said the weekend had been a ‘bonanza’ for business, with every day akin to a Christmas Eve.’
- ‘The Marines opened up their day with a formation run, I understand, but then the rest of the day was very much concentrated into celebrating this Christmas Eve.’
- ‘Several years ago at a Christmas Eve worship service, each member of the congregation lit a candle in a completely darkened sanctuary while singing ‘Silent Night.’’
- ‘One great memory I have of Christmas is walking up and down Tullow Street on a Christmas Eve.’
- ‘A Limerick woman became the 398th person killed on the roads this year when she died in a Christmas Eve crash.’
- ‘On this Christmas Eve, as millions the world over celebrate his birth, top religious authorities debate the meaning and the message of Jesus's life and death.’
- ‘It is apparently clear that some of those scheduled to be on the flights did not appear; ordinarily, one would think that the no-show rate on a Christmas Eve flight from Paris to Los Angeles would be extremely low.’
- ‘Indonesian intelligence sources believe he was plotting a Christmas Eve massacre in churches, clubs and hotels.’
- ‘More than three times the number of usual parishioners packed St Peters Church at Greenough while St Catherine's Anglican Church was also well attended for a Christmas Eve service.’
- ‘After a month of buying trees, decorations, gifts and food, wine is usually the last thing on your mind, leading to a Christmas Eve dash round your local supermarket or off-licence.’
- ‘Lakeland Church is not having a Christmas service but a Christmas Eve one.’
- ‘Friends and neighbours of the family remembered them at a Christmas Eve church service in the village.’
- ‘He faces the death penalty or life in prison for killing a local police officer, who was shot 11 times and run over when responding to a Christmas Eve robbery of a sporting goods store.’
- ‘And the pope, we're told, kept up his full, vigorous schedule this Christmas Eve, despite his frail health.’
