watchnight

/ˈwɒtʃnaɪt/

Etymology

From watch + night.

Why this word is great

WATCHNIGHT — [Noun] A religious service held late on New Year's Eve, involving reflection on the past year and spiritual preparation for the year ahead, often extending past midnight, particularly observed by Methodists and other Christian denominations. From watch ("vigil, observance") + night ("the period of darkness"), literally meaning a night of vigil or observance. Unlike "vigil" (a broad term for watchful prayer, unmoored from calendar or structure) or "midnight mass" (a jubilant Christmas rite), watchnight is a deliberate pause between years—a hinge of time. It is the dim glow of candlelight on bowed heads, the collective murmur of repentance and resolve, the slow tolling of the church bell as the old year slips into the new—a ritual acknowledgment that time moves forward, but we must stand still to measure it.

noun

A religious service involving a review of the past year and preparation for the year ahead participated in by Methodists and members of other Christian denominations which usually starts late on New Year's Eve and ends after midnight on New Year's Day; hence, the night that begins on December 31 and ends on January 1.“Holonym: New Year's (holiday-time sense)”
A monthly or quarterly religious service participated in by Methodists which extended past midnight.“The ſpiritual concerns, ſhall be managed by the preachers; who have ever appointed leaders, choſen ſtewards, and admitted members into, and expelled them, from the ſociety, conſulting their brethren the leaders and ſtewards, according to the rules before mentioned. The preachers alſo as hitherto, are to appoint love-feaſts, and watch-nights, and to vary the time and places of preaching, claſs-meet”
Any religious or spiritual vigil.“To spend a whole night, from sunset to sunrise, in vigil, is locally reckoned as two "watchnights" (in Kekchi, yo'lec). On occasion when one "watchnight" is deemed sufficient, people go home to sleep after midnight. When a series of 13 "watchnights" are required, a full night vigil will normally only be observed for the final twelfth night.”
A night watchman.“Next morning a flustered watchnight waited for Bill. 'What is this t'ing?' he indignantly demanded. 'In the night I sit watching, then Madam come and pour a bucket of water on me. Next a t'ief-man come. I fight him but he too strong and he take my bicycle ...[…][']”