There are three Christmas Eves in the Holy Land. One on the
24th December celebrated by the Protestant and Catholic Churches.
The second for the Greek Orthodox, Coptic (Egyptian) and Syrian
churches. The third is the Armenian church. At times, all three
services are going on at the same time, but, in different parts of
the church, as well as in different languages. For lunch they eat
turkey, spiced with pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg and stuffed with
rice, meat,, pine nuts and almonds.
Early in the evening, members of the Protestant church groups
would go around singing carols. On Christmas morning children
would open their presents before breakfast. After breakfast
Protestant people would go to church, and visit friends to wish
them a happy Christmas.
The Catholic church priests would come a bless water from which
all members of the family would take a sip.
The members of the Greek Orthodox church Epiphany is very
important. They have a special church service at which a cross was
dipped into water to bless it. People would take the water home
with them a drink three sips before eating anything.
Christmas
in the Holy Land where Christ is believed to have been born is
often full of travelers come to celebrate Christmas. Here in a
grotto there is a 14 pointed silver star on the floor is where the
birth place is supposed to have been.
