CHRISTMAS DAY will see billions of people unwrap presents and tuck into festive feasts with their families to observe the annual religious holiday, but what countries do not celebrate on December 25?
With war raging in Gaza, Christmas is effectively canceled in Bethlehem.
The war was sparked by Hamas’ terror attack on October 7 on southern Israel in which at least 1,200 people were killed and more than 240 others taken hostage.
Many here have ties to Gaza through loved ones and friends, and a sense of misery has fallen upon the city revered by Christians as the birthplace of Jesus Christ.
Decorations that once adorned neighborhoods have been removed. The parades and religious celebrations have been canceled. In the city center, the traditional enormous Christmas tree of Manger Square is conspicuously absent.
In countries where the most popular religion is not Christianity, Christmas Day is not recognised as a public holiday.
Those countries are Afghanistan, Algeria, Bhutan, North Korea, Libya, Mauritania, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, and Yemen.
Other countries do give Christmas day observance despite it not being a public holiday there.
These include: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cambodia, China, Comoros, Iran, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Laos, Maldives, Mongolia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Thailand, Turkey, Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.
Christmas day is a holiday in Taiwan, but not because of its religious connotations.
December 25 is Taiwan’s Constitution Day, which marks the anniversary of the 1947 Constitution of the Republic of China.
Similarly, Christmas day is a public holiday in Pakistan but only because it is the birthday of the Islamic country’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
December 25 is not designated for the celebration of Christmas in Pakistan.
Christmas day has been a bank holiday in the UK since 1834.
There are, however, some Christians who don’t celebrate Christmas on December 25.
Orthodox Christians in central and eastern Europe instead celebrate Christmas on January 7.
This day is also known as Old Christmas Day because of the eleven days that were dropped when England and Scotland switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar in 1752.
Many orthodox churches recognise the holiday dates according to the Julian calendar hence their observance of Christmas on January 7.
January 7 remains an accurate date for the Orthodox Christians until 2100, after which it will move to January 8 if the Julian calendar is still used.
Christmas Day is a public holiday on January 7 in Belarus, Egypt, Ethiopia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Russia, and Ukraine.
While Armenia observes Christmas Day on January 6.
Countries where December 25 or January 7 (as celebrated by some Orthodox Christians) is not a public holiday and is not observed
Afghanistan
This landlocked country in South-Central Asia has a majority of the Muslim population, and they don’t celebrate Christmas as a holiday. People who aren’t Muslims, also avoid holding the festivities to prevent violent attacks, as religion-based danger still exists in the country
Algeria
Located in Northern Africa, the country only has a few churches, but the Christian population is rising. Christmas markets have begun to open in Algeria. However, it is not yet a public holiday.
Bhutan
Miniature Santa Claus can be found in shops, and some of the streets are adorned with lights, but a holiday is not declared in the country on December 25.
North Korea
Run by a dictator, North Korea doesn’t celebrate Christmas as well. Kim Jong Un has imposed a ban on singing, drinking and partying around the festival.
Mauritania
The largely-desert country, Mauritania, has a large Islamic population, which becomes the reason as to why there are no festivities witnessed in the countryside around Christmas.
Saudi Arabia
If foreign ex-pats use a subtle approach, maybe they could celebrate Christmas in the Islamic country of Saudi Arabia. But otherwise, there are no Church services and people who wish to celebrate the need, do it in private.
Somalia
The government of Somalia has banned Christmas traditions. It is a shock how a country which hosts peacekeepers from major-Christian countries like Burundi, Uganda and Kenya does not allow people to celebrate the festival, only because it is itself Muslim-dominated.
Tajikistan
Trees, gifts, fireworks and even charity is outlawed in schools and universities in the country of Tajikistan.
Tunisia
Beyond an economic opportunity for people, Christmas is not celebrated in the country of Tunisia.
Turkmenistan
The legislation of Turkmenistan provides freedom of religion and religious organizations, but the Christmas population is too small to find Christmas cheer in the country.
Uzbekistan
The culture of Uzbekistan is diverse. There is a mix of different ethnic groups with 71% of its population being Uzbek, and other minority groups being Russians, Tajiks, Kazaks, Tatars, Karakalpaks, Armenians and Koryo-saram. Only 5% of the population follows Christianity. Still, the government is involved in massive ill-treatment of Christians, so much that Uzbekistan was designated to a list of countries of particular concern of the U.S. State Department.
Yemen
The Arab country, located in Southwest Asia, is already in a crisis. Over 99% of Yemenis are Muslims. And yes, it is too hard to observe Christmas while living in a country which has been suffering so long.
On the other hand, there are few countries where Christmas is observed, more for commercial purpose, but the holiday is not declared. Schools, offices, and shops all remain open on December 25, but the Christmas spirit may be missing. These countries are Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cambodia, China, Comoros, Iran, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Laos, Maldives, Mongolia, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Thailand, Turkey, The United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.
Taiwan observes December 25 as a constitutional day, and it is not an official holiday in the country. However, numerous sectors do provide an off, for the date is the anniversary of the 1947 ROC Constitution.
Pakistan observes December 25 as a public holiday in Pakistan, but not in regard with Christmas. It is the very same date that Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, was born.
