Uchte

Borrowed from Middle Low German uchte, from Old Saxon ūhta, from Proto-Germanic *unhtwǭ. Related to Dutch ochtend (“morning”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈʊxtə/

Uchte f (genitive Uchte, plural Uchten)

1. (Christianity, regional, chiefly Westphalia) midnight mass or early morning mass (at Christmas and Easter)
   • 2013, Verena Hellenthal, Weihnachten im Münsterland, Sutton Verlag, 93.

     Höhepunkt dieses Festes war die Uchte, die Messe, welche in der Nacht vom 24. auf den 25. Dezember stattfand. Meist fand diese Uchte zwischen drei und fünf Uhr morgens statt.

     The culmination of this feast was the nocturnal mass, the mass that was held during the night of December 24th to 25th. Most often this nocturnal mass took place between three and five o'clock in the morning.

   Synonym: Christmette

   Nach der Bescherung essen wir, dann spielen wir Karten, und dann gehen wir in die Uchte.

   After opening the presents we have dinner, then we play cards, and then we go to midnight mass.