Observance of Christmas by country
The observance of Christmas around the world varies by country. The day of Christmas, and in some cases the day before and the day after, are recognized by many national governments and cultures worldwide, including in areas where Christianity is a minority religion. In some non-Christian areas, periods of former colonial rule introduced the celebration ; in others, Christian minorities or foreign cultural influences have led populations to observe the holiday.
Christmas in Ottawa, Canada
Boxing Day at the Toronto Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto, Canada
U.S. Army Service members celebrating Christmas Eve while stationed abroad at Victory Base Complex, Iraq, December 24, 2008
Christmas at Rockefeller Center, New York City
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the liturgical year in Christianity, it follows the season of Advent or the Nativity Fast, and initiates the season of Christmastide, which historically in the West lasts twelve days and culminates on Twelfth Night. Christmas Day is a public holiday in many countries, is celebrated religiously by a majority of Christians, as well as culturally by many non-Christians, and forms an integral part of the holiday season surrounding it.
Nativity scene depicted using Christmas lights
Adoration of the Shepherds (1622) by Gerard van Honthorst depicts the nativity of Jesus
Nativity of Christ, medieval illustration from the Hortus deliciarum of Herrad of Landsberg (12th century)
The Nativity, from a 14th-century missal, a liturgical book containing texts and music necessary for the celebration of Mass throughout the year