Donate
Religion

Photos: The world celebrates Christmas

The World
A woman poses for a photo surrounded by red Christmas ornaments in Bangkok, Thailand.

A woman poses for a photo with Christmas ornaments as she celebrates Christmas in Bangkok, Thailand.

Soe Zeya Tun/Reuters

From a Santa on water skis in Alexandria, Virginia, to solemn Mass celebrations in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in China, here’s a look at how people around the world are celebrating Christmas: 

An elderly Tibetan woman prays inside a church in front of religious photos with captions in Mandarin.
A Catholic woman prays during a Mass on Christmas Day at Cizhong Church in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China.Tyrone Siu/Reuters
Eight children represent the Nativity scene, dressing as Mary, Joseph, the three Kings, shepherds and angels.
Children participate in a nativity scene at Mart Shmoni Church in Bashiqa, east of Mosul, Iraq, on Christmas day.Khalid al-Mousily/Reuters
Two men wearing Santa Claus's hats stand on a sunny beach surrounded by people in bathing suits in Sidney Australia.
Volunteer lifeguards from North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club keep an eye on swimmers enjoying Christmas day on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia.Jill Gralow/Reuters
A toddler is dressed up as Santa Claus and looks at the camera while looking over a crowd of people.
A boy looks on during an artistic performance celebrating Christmas in Bangkok, Thailand.Soe Zeya Tun/Reuters
A woman lays on a mattress on the floor in front of a Christmas tree in a dark room in a shelter in Tijuana, Mexico.
A migrant, part of a caravan of thousands from Central America trying to reach the United States, rests during Christmas at a temporary shelter in Tijuana, Mexico.Mohammed Salem/Reuters
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu shakes hands with priests inside a church.
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu shakes hands with Archbishop Thabo Makgoba during Christmas Midnight Mass at St. George’s Cathedral in Cape Town, South Africa.Sumaya Hisham/Reuters
Men dressed in red and women dressed in blue and white Christmas attire walk through streets holding Christmas lights.
People dressed as Father Frost and Snow Maiden take part in a march on Christmas Eve in center of Minsk, Belarus.Vasily Fedosenko/Reuters
A man dressed up as Santa Claus waterskis on a river.
The Waterskiing Santa makes his annual Christmas Eve appearance along the waterfront in Alexandria, Virginia.James Lawler Duggan/Reuters
Women in colorful traditional dresses sit down and pray inside a church.
People attend the Christmas service at St. John’s Cathedral in Peshawar, Pakistan.Fayaz Aziz/Reuters
Invest in independent global news

The World is an independent newsroom. We’re not funded by billionaires; instead, we rely on readers and listeners like you. As a listener, you’re a crucial part of our team and our global community. Your support is vital to running our nonprofit newsroom, and we can’t do this work without you. Will you support The World with a gift today? Donations made between now and Dec. 31 will be matched 1:1. Thanks for investing in our work!