The day starts quietly. Many families fast a little - eat lightly - until the evening, so they can enjoy the big meal more. Children sometimes try to spot the first star in the sky out of the window. When the first star appears, the family sits down at the table.
The table is set carefully. A white tablecloth is laid down, candles are lit, and a sprig of pine is sometimes placed in the centre. The meal begins with a wafer dipped in honey, then a thick bowl of kapustnica, then the main course - traditionally a fried carp (a kind of river fish) with potato salad on the side.
Once dinner is over, children look under the Christmas tree. In Slovakia, presents are opened on Christmas Eve, not Christmas Day. The presents are said to come from 'Ježiško' - little baby Jesus - who is imagined to leave them quietly while the family sings carols.
After presents, families often sit together late into the night. Some go for a walk through the snow. Some sing traditional carols around the table. Even in busy modern Slovak cities, this one evening of the year tends to slow everything right down: shops close, streets empty, and the whole country becomes a thousand quiet kitchens with the lights on.