December 23rd is a weird day. It’s the "Eve of Christmas Eve," or as the internet has collectively decided to call it, Christmas Eve Eve. Most people are stuck in a frantic loop of grocery store runs and realization that they forgot batteries. But honestly? If you’re saying happy christmas eve eve friends to your group chat right now, you’ve tapped into the secret peak of the holiday season.
It's better than the 25th. There, I said it.
The 25th is high-pressure. You have to be "on." You have to wear the itchy sweater and react perfectly to a gift you might not even like while Aunt Linda watches your facial expressions like a hawk. But December 23rd? This is the sweet spot. The anticipation is at a rolling boil, but the actual obligations haven't started yet. It’s the Friday night of the winter, while Christmas Day is the Sunday afternoon where you start thinking about work on Monday.
The Social Science of the "Pre-Holiday" High
Psychologically, humans are hardwired to enjoy anticipation more than the event itself. A 2010 study published in the journal Applied Research in Quality of Life followed over 1,500 people and found that the largest boost in happiness came from the planning and looking forward to a vacation, rather than the trip itself.
That’s what’s happening when you wish a happy christmas eve eve friends. You are living in the "anticipatory wiggle room."
On the 23rd, the fridge is full. The presents are (mostly) under the tree. The potential for the "perfect holiday" is still 100%. Nothing has gone wrong yet. No one has burned the turkey. No one has brought up politics at the dinner table. It is a day of pure, unadulterated potential.
Why friends matter more on the 23rd
For many of us, the actual holidays are strictly for family. That’s great, but it’s also exhausting. December 23rd has become the unofficial "Friendsmas" deadline. It’s the day people grab a quick drink at the local pub before retreating into their family bunkers for 48 hours.
There’s a specific vibe to a dive bar on December 23rd. It’s crowded. It smells like wet wool and pine. Everyone is slightly manic because they just finished their last shift of the year. You see people you haven't seen since last December. You shout happy christmas eve eve friends over a jukebox playing Wham! for the tenth time. It feels more "real" than the formal dinner happening two days later.
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Making the most of the 23rd (The "Anti-Stress" Protocol)
If you're still running around like a headless chicken today, you're doing it wrong. The goal of a happy christmas eve eve friends mindset is to front-load the labor.
Most people think they have "one more day" on the 24th. They don't. The 24th is for traditions, church services, or the "big meal" preparation. If you're buying gifts on the 24th, you aren't celebrating; you're surviving.
- The "Final Five" Rule: Pick the five most essential things you need for the 25th. If they aren't done by 4:00 PM on the 23rd, they aren't happening. Let it go.
- The 23rd Movie Night: While everyone else watches A Christmas Story on a loop on the 25th, the 23rd is for the "B-tier" classics. Think The Muppet Christmas Carol or Die Hard.
- The Grocery Store Gambit: If you absolutely must go to the store, go at 7:00 AM or 10:00 PM. Anything in between is a mosh pit of desperation.
The "Festivus" Connection
We can’t talk about December 23rd without acknowledging Seinfeld. In 1997, the episode "The Strike" introduced the world to Festivus, the holiday "for the rest of us," celebrated on—you guessed it—December 23rd.
While it started as a joke, it actually highlights why this day is so special. It’s a day to be a little weird. To air your grievances. To engage in "feats of strength." It lacks the saccharine, forced joy that can sometimes make the actual holiday feel oppressive.
When you tell someone happy christmas eve eve friends, you’re kind of acknowledging that shared "in-between" space. You're saying, "I know we’re all about to go be 'family people' for two days, so let’s be ourselves right now."
Acknowledge the Loneliness Factor
It's also worth noting that for a lot of people, the holidays suck. Honestly. If you've lost someone or you're far from home, the "big days" can feel like a spotlight on what’s missing.
The 23rd feels lower stakes. It’s a day where reaching out to a friend feels less "heavy" than a call on Christmas morning. A simple text—"Hey, happy christmas eve eve friends, hope you’re doing okay"—can actually mean more than a generic holiday card. It shows you’re thinking of them in the quiet moments, not just when the calendar tells you to.
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Breaking Down the "Eve Eve" Traditions
Is it a real holiday? No. Is it becoming one? Absolutely.
In the UK and parts of the US, "Piersmas" or other localized traditions have started popping up on the 23rd. Some families use it as the "Pizza and Wrapping" night. The logic is sound: you can’t cook a 12-pound ham on the 25th if your kitchen is covered in wrapping paper scraps and scotch tape on the 24th.
So, you clear the decks on the 23rd.
I know a group of friends who meet every year on the 23rd for "The Great Exchange." They don't do gifts. They exchange leftovers. Everyone brings the random stuff in their fridge that will go bad while they're at their parents' houses. It's practical. It's hilarious. It's peak 23rd behavior.
The Logistics of a True Happy Christmas Eve Eve
If you want to actually enjoy this day, you have to stop treating it as a "work day."
Even if you’re at the office, your brain is 70% eggnog by noon.
Don't fight it.
The most successful people I know use the 23rd as a "soft landing." They clear their inbox of anything that isn't a literal fire. They set their OOO (Out of Office) reply by 2:00 PM. They go home.
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Why the weather always feels different today
Have you noticed that the 23rd always feels "colder" or "snowier" than the 25th? It's a total trick of the mind, but there's a reason for it. On the 23rd, you're usually outside more—running that last errand, meeting a friend for coffee, walking the dog before the relatives arrive. You're interacting with the world. By the 25th, you're cocooned. The 23rd is the last day of the "External Christmas" before we all move into "Internal Christmas."
Actionable Steps for Your December 23rd
If you're reading this on the actual day, stop scrolling after this and go do these things:
- Send the text. Don't wait for the 25th when everyone's phone is blowing up. Send that happy christmas eve eve friends message now. It stands out. It feels more personal.
- The Gas Tank Rule. Go fill up your car right now. Nothing ruins a Christmas morning like realizing you’re on empty when you need to drive to Grandma's and every station is closed or packed.
- The "Me" Hour. Take one hour today to do absolutely nothing holiday-related. Read a book that isn't about a Christmas miracle. Play a video game. Go to the gym. Reclaim your identity before you become "Son," "Daughter," or "Tired Parent" for the weekend.
- Prep the "Morning Of" Kit. Get the coffee pot ready. Put the batteries in the toys (carefully). Find the scissors. The 23rd-version of you is the hero that the 25th-version of you desperately needs.
The magic of the season isn't in the big reveal. It's in these messy, transitional, "Eve Eve" moments. It's in the shared look between friends who are all equally exhausted but equally excited. It’s the calm before the beautiful, chaotic storm.
So, enjoy the quiet. Enjoy the half-empty streets tonight.
Happy Christmas Eve Eve.
Immediate Next Steps
Check your "perishables" list one last time. If you don't have heavy cream or butter right now, go get it before the 4 PM rush. Once you’re back, put your phone on "Do Not Disturb" for two hours and actually watch a movie without checking your email. Your brain needs the reset before the family festivities begin in earnest tomorrow.