Observance of Christmas by country
The observance of Christmas around the world varies by country and by religion. 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, which are usually found in Africa and Asia. 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 traditions for many nations include the installation and decoration of Christmas trees, the hanging of Advent wreaths, Christmas stockings, candy canes, setting out cookies and milk, the creation of Nativity scenes depicting the birth of Jesus Christ and giving gifts to others. Christmas carols may be sung and stories told about such figures as the Baby Jesus, Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Christkind or Grandfather Frost. The sending and exchange of Christmas cards, observance of fasting, and special religious observances such as a Midnight Mass or Vespers on Christmas Eve, the burning of a Yule log, and the giving and receiving of presents are also common practices. Along with Easter, Christmas is one of the most important periods on the Christian calendar, and is often closely connected to other holidays at this time of year, such as Advent, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Saint Nicholas Day, Saint Stephen's Day, New Year's, and the Feast of the Epiphany.
Many national governments recognize Christmas as an official public holiday, while others recognize it in a symbolic way but not as an official legal observance. Countries in which Christmas is not a formal public holiday include Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, the Comoros, Iran, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Laos, Libya, the Maldives, Mauritania, Mongolia, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Qatar, the Sahrawi Republic, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Yemen. Countries such as Japan, where Christmas is not a public holiday but is popular despite there being only a small number of Christians, have adopted many of the secular aspects of Christmas, such as gift-giving, decorations, and Christmas trees.
Christmas celebrations around the world can vary markedly in form, reflecting differing cultural and national traditions. Among countries with a strong Christian tradition, a variety of Christmas celebrations have developed that incorporate regional and local cultures.
Africa
Egypt
Christmas is celebrated by Coptic Christians in Egypt. It is largely celebrated on 7 January, which is a public holiday in Egypt.Ethiopia and Eritrea
Christmas Day, known as Ledet in Eritrea and Gena in Ethiopia, is celebrated on 7 January. Many Christians in Eritrea and Ethiopia observe a 40-day fast before the holiday, culminating in dawn church services on Christmas morning. The day features vibrant musical celebrations with priests in ceremonial robes performing rituals, including dancing and drumming. A traditional hockey-like game called gena is played in the afternoon, with the community leader awarding a prize to the winner. Most Ethiopians wear a traditional shamma, a thin, white cotton wrap with brightly colored stripes across the ends. The celebration is followed by the three-day festival of Timkat, starting on 19 January, which commemorates the baptism of Jesus Christ.Nigeria
Christmas Day is a public holiday in Nigeria. Urban Nigerians visit their ancestral villages to be with family and to bless the less fortunate. Nigerians visit markets to buy and transport live chickens, goats, and cows for the Christmas meals.On Christmas Eve, traditional meals vary regionally. Nigerians tend to prepare various meats in large quantities. In the south, a dish called jollof rice is served with stews of various meats, along with boiled beans and fried plantains; in the north, rice and stew, as well as tuwon shinkafa, a rice pudding served with various meat stews, are preferred. In the north, several local desserts are also made. An alternative in both regions is a pepper soup with fish, goat, or beef, often served with fufu. Alcoholic drinks such as traditional palm wine or various local and imported beers and wines are consumed; children and women may be served soft drinks instead.
Gift giving in Nigeria often involves money and the flow of gifts from the more fortunate to the less fortunate. Nigerians assist relatives, often financially, during Christmastide. Cash and elaborately wrapped gifts may be given out at parties; sometimes cash is scattered in the air to be grabbed by others or stuck onto the sweaty foreheads of those dancing.
Senegal
Christmas is a popular holiday in the Muslim-majority country of Senegal.South Africa
Christmas in South Africa is a public holiday celebrated on 25 December. Many European traditions are maintained, despite the distance from Europe.Christmas trees are set up in homes, and children are given presents in their stockings. The Christmas meal can include mince pies, turkey, gammon, beef tongue, turducken, corned beef, green salad, roast beef, or a barbecue outdoors. The meal is finished with Christmas pudding, ice cream, or trifle. Christmas crackers are used to make noise.
Ghana
In Ghana, Christmas, known locally as Bronya, is celebrated on 25 December, with both 25 and 26 December recognized as public holidays.Americas
Caribbean
Cuba
The Communist Regime led by Fidel Castro abolished the paid Christmas holiday in 1969, citing that workers were needed to continue the sugar harvest. In 1998, the Regime declared 25 December a leisure day, as requested by Pope John Paul II as a condition for him to visit the country.Central America
Guatemala
On Christmas in Guatemala, people dress up in an ornamental hat, called a puritina, and dance in a line. As with much of the country's culture, the celebration includes Spanish and Mayan elements.North America
Canada
Christmas Day is one of five Canadian statutory holidays observed nationwide, and Boxing Day is a federal holiday that is also observed in select provinces. Christmas Eve is not a statutory holiday in any jurisdiction, but many businesses and government entities individually choose to close early or for the entire day on 24 December. In the Canadian provinces where English is the predominant language, Christmas traditions are largely similar to those of the United States, with some lingering influences from the United Kingdom and newer traditions brought by immigrants from other European countries. Mince pies, plum pudding, and Christmas cake are traditionally served as Christmas dinner desserts, following the traditional meal of roast turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and winter vegetables. Christmas table crackers are not uncommon and, in some parts of Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, Christmas traditions include mummers.North American influences on Christmas are evident in the hanging of stockings on Christmas Eve, to be filled by Santa Claus. Canadian children believe that the home of Santa Claus is located at the North Pole, in Canada, and, through Canada Post, address thousands of letters to Santa Claus each year, using the postal code designation H0H 0H0.
As Canada is a cold, dark country in winter, lights are often put up in public places and on commercial and residential buildings in November and December. Many communities have celebrations that include light events, such as the Cavalcade of Lights Festival in Toronto, the Montreal Christmas Fireworks, or the Bright Nights in Stanley Park, Vancouver. A national program, Christmas Lights Across Canada, illuminates Ottawa, the national capital, and the 13 provincial and territorial capitals.
In the province of Quebec, Christmas traditions include réveillon, Père Noël, and the bûche de Noël, among many others.
File:Boxing Day at the Toronto Eaton Centre.jpg|thumb|right|Boxing Day at the Toronto Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto, Canada
Mexico
Since the 1990s, Mexican society has embraced a new concept linking several celebrations around the Christmas season into what is known as the Guadalupe-Reyes Marathon. At midnight on Christmas, after Midnight Mass, many families place the figure of baby Jesus in their nacimientos, as the symbolic representation of Christmas as a whole, in homes. In the center and south of Mexico, children receive gifts on Christmas Eve and on 6 January, they celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany, when, according to tradition, the Three Wise Men brought gifts to Bethlehem for Jesus Christ. Santa Claus is who brings the children their gifts, but traditionally on that night the Three Wise Men will fill the children's shoes with candies, oranges, tangerines, nuts, and sugar cane, and sometimes money or gold, symbolizing the very gifts they gave to the Baby Jesus in Bethlehem during his infancy and a reflection of his future destiny as saviour of the world. 6 January is marked by big parties and events.United States
Christmas is a widely celebrated festive holiday in the United States, and Christmas Day is officially recognized as a federal holiday by the U.S. government. In select years, Christmas Eve is declared by the president via executive order to be a federal holiday as well, the latest such directive having been for 24 December 2024; additionally, any occurrence of Friday 24 December is a federal holiday, under the policy that when the usual date for a federal holiday falls on a weekend-day, the legal holiday is observed on the nearest weekday. 26 December, popularly referred to as Boxing Day or Saint Stephen's Day elsewhere in the Western world, is only known widely as the "Day after Christmas" in the U.S., and is observed in a number of states under that name, but is not a federal holiday.The interiors and exteriors of houses are decorated during the weeks leading up to Christmas Eve. Christmas tree farms in the United States and Canada provide families with trees for their homes, many opting for artificial ones, but some for real ones. The Christmas tree usually stands centrally in the home, decorated with ornaments, tinsel, and lights, with an angel or a star symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem at the top.
Presents the family will exchange are wrapped and placed near the tree, including presents to be given to pets.
The traditional Christmas dinner usually features either roasted turkey with stuffing, ham, or roast beef. Potatoes, squash, roasted vegetables and cranberry sauce are served along with tonics and sherries. A variety of sweet pastries and egg nog sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg are served in the United States. Certain dishes such as casseroles and desserts are often prepared with a family recipe. Sometimes, families also partake in a religious tradition, such as the consumption of a Christmas wafer in Christian families of European ancestry. Fruits, nuts, cheeses and chocolates are enjoyed as snacks.
Local radio stations may temporarily switch format to play exclusively Christmas music, some going to an all-Christmas format as early as mid-October. As of 2008, the NBA now schedules five games on Christmas, usually including classic rivalry games as well as a rematch of the previous season's NBA Finals.