Why serve Fish at the Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes but Fast with Fish during Lent?

        On Christmas Eve, many Catholic families enjoy a lavish meal known as the Feast of the Seven Fishes.   Why is fish the highlight of this feast  when fish is also the food used for Lenten fasting?  

       Traditionally, Catholics fast before receiving communtion at morning mass.  They eat breakfast after the liturgy.  That schedule works well on most days.  On Christmas Eve, however, many Catholics don't attend Mass until midnight.  Do they have to fast for an entire day?  

    Early in the 20th century, church leaders found that on Christmas Eve, the faithful fasted from the moment they awoke in the morning until the conclusion of Midnight Mass.  That long period with no food made them extremely tired and weak.  The solution was to encourage everyone to eat a fish dinner before attending Midnight Mass.   Because fish was considered an appropriate food for Lenten fasting, it would be permissable for Christmas Eve dinner.  Seven types of fish would be served because seven is a significant number in the Catholic Church.  There are seven sacraments, seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, and seven sorrows of Mary.  

        Fish served on Christmas Eve is a reminder to prepare ourselves to receive the gift of Jesus.  

    The origins of the Feast of the Seven Fishes as well as foods such as hot cross buns, gingerbread cookies, cappuccino, and champagne can be found in the new book, Catholicism Everywhere: From Hail Mary Passes to Cappuccinos: How the Catholic Faith is Infused in Culture, written by Helen Hoffner and published by Sophia Institute Press.