Christmas Eve is a state-level public holiday in Sabah, Malaysia, celebrated on December 24th. It marks the culmination of the Advent period before Christmas that started on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Eve. The day is celebrated with great enthusiasm and joy, with Christmas trees decorated with baubles, lights, and tinsel. The government of Sabah announced an additional public holiday in the state on December 24th to give those celebrating Christmas more time to return home and celebrate the holidays. Until 2019, Sabah had been observing only December 25th as the Christmas public holiday since the 1970s.