What happened on December 24 ?

December 24 is celebrated as the day before Christmas, thus called Christmas Eve.

It is the day when food is traditionally set out for Santa Claus and his reindeer. Children around the world are urged to go to bed early so they are not awake when he arrives.

In Hungary, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, the Czech Republic and Slovakia among others, this is the day that presents are exchanged and opened.

The Declaration of Christmas Peace takes place in the Old Great Square of Turku, Finland's official Christmas City, according to old traditions dating back to the Middle Ages.