Christmas Eve Dec. 24, 2023

There"s a certain magic in knowing that in towns around the world, shops are closing, streets are emptying and friends and families are gathering together to take comfort in the company of one another on Christmas Eve. Each of us have our own traditions, from filling stockings to hosting parties and playing festive music. Today"s snapshot portrays the annual celebration in the Town Hall Square of Tartu, Estonia, which is illuminated with gleaming lights and adorned with a display of Christmas trees. Tartu"s Christmas fair has a merry atmosphere, featuring sleigh rides, fire kettles and wooden animal carousels. All of this is accompanied by smoked meats, hot drinks and crispy gingerbread. Whether you"re watching a classic holiday movie or cozying up with a cup of hot cocoa as the clock strikes twelve, let the Christmas spirit reign on this peaceful night—and don"t forget the milk and cookies!

© Westend61/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

All is calm
Dec. 24, 2024Silent night, sparkling lights and hearts full of joy
Dec. 24, 2025Christmas Eve

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Oct. 17, 2024Kochia, Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
A flashy, frigid waterfowl
Dec. 31, 2024New Years Eve in Ottawa
Oct. 30, 2024Edinburgh Castle, Scotland, United Kingdom
Out of this world
May 3, 2025Happy International Astronomy Day!
The sun sets on the Valley of the Moon
Oct. 9, 2024Aspens near Marble, Colorado, USA
Feb. 8, 2026Corfu at night, Greece
More of a moustache than a beard?
Feb. 13, 2026Third Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge connecting Laos and Thailand
Dec. 30, 2025Whooper swans, Kotoku Pond, Japan
Where two continents meet
God’s Own Country
Celebrating women
Shell-ebrating sea turtles
May 12, 2025An iris garden in Tokyo, Japan
40 years of recovery
Pick your paradise
Freshwater diving capital
Sep. 7, 2023Toronto International Film Festival
Feb. 29, 2024Leap Day
Stop and smell the Sakura
Happy Mothers Day!
A window to the Pacific
Dec. 12, 2023Poinsettia Day
Three petals and three leaves
Feb. 6, 2025Waitangi Day in New Zealand
Dec. 22, 2025The Nutcracker performed by the Turkish State Opera and Ballet in Türkiye
Oct. 24, 2025Night view of the RMS Queen Mary, Long Beach, California, United States