Since it has turned into a secular festival, “Christmas” and “New Year” have been used interchangeably for decades. Thus, there are some Christmas elements in almost every country’s New Year festival, such as Santa Clauses or Christmas trees. Despite that, not all countries designate Christmas as a public holiday; thus, they do not celebrate it widely. Below are 48 countries where Christmas is a nationwide, official celebration, and at the end of the article, you will find even more countries where Christmas is celebrated unofficially by a smaller population, despite not being a public holiday.
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1. Russia
Russian Christians consider Christmas to be the most important holiday of the year, and the New Year’s Eve celebration that marks the arrival of Ded Moroz (Russian for “Ayaz Ata,” meaning “Father Frost” in Turkic) and Snegurochka (Snow Maiden), who bring gifts to children and place them under the New Year’s Tree, is one of the distinctive Christmas traditions in this country. Russia boasts the world’s second-highest Christmas festival attendance (over 80% or 115 million people).
2. Brazil
Along with fireworks, music, and traditional meals like turkey, ham, and panettone, Brazilian summer Christmas celebrations include the “Amigo Oculto” (Secret Friend), a gift exchange game in which players choose names and deliver anonymous gifts to each other, known as Secret Santa in Europe.
3. Germany
The Advent celebrations, held in many cities and towns across Germany usually between late November and the end of December, are the country’s most well-known Christmas tradition, and their popularity stems from the country’s well-known Christmas markets, where a wide variety of Christmas foods and decorations have been sold since the Middle Ages, including Glühwein, a German take on mulled wine.
4. Chile
95% of Chile celebrates Christmas. The city of Chiu Chiu hosts the “feria de Santo Tomás,” a Chilean Christmas celebration. On the 21st of December, during the hot summer, a fair is held that combines indigenous and Christian customs. People trade goods, eat, and drink during this time. “Cola de mono,” a typical Chilean beverage mixed with coffee, milk, sugar, and aguardiente (a form of alcohol), is one of the country’s most popular beverages at Christmas.
5. France
One notable Christmas custom in France is the Marché de Noël, a Christmas market found in numerous towns and villages across the country. Additionally, common French Christmas traditions encompass real Christmas trees, lengthy festive dinners, and the inclusion of fresh seafood in the celebrations.
6. Georgia
During the yearly Alilo procession, Georgian children dressed in traditional attire sing Christmas songs and collect donations for charity. A donkey and a group of teenagers holding candles follow the man wearing the white angel costume.
7. Costa Rica
In Costa Rica, the “Misa de Gallo,” or “Mass of the Rooster,” on Christmas Eve is a standout tradition. People dress in their finest attire and attend midnight mass. This meal features chicken and pork tamales wrapped in plantain leaves, along with pastries and Costa Rican desserts like Tres Leches Cake.
8. United States
The lighting of the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C., is a tradition that dates back to 1923, but gift-giving, tree decorating, and time spent with relatives rank higher on Americans’ lists of Christmas activities.
9. Colombia
In Colombia, the “Día de las Velitas” or “Day of the Little Candles” on December 7th signifies the start of the Christmas season. People light candles and paper lanterns, adorning windowsills and roads, blending Catholic and indigenous customs.
10. Italy
Presepe, or nativity scenes, are a fascinating part of Italian Christmas festivities. They are shown in churches, community centers, and even outside, and they might include hundreds of handmade nativity sets of wildly varying sizes and styles.
11. United Kingdom
In the UK, Christmas cards, gift-giving, and crackers, as well as traditional foods like mince pies and roast turkey that came about in the Victorian era, are the featured Christmas elements. The families celebrate with their relatives, exchange gifts, and enjoy a festive meal.
12. Spain
One Christmas tradition in Spain is the “El Gordo” lottery, which is one of the oldest lotteries in the world and has the largest prize pool of any lottery. The lottery is drawn on December 22nd, and it is a tradition for children from the San Ildefonso school in Madrid to sing the winning numbers.
13. Canada
Canadians celebrate the holiday season with a variety of activities, including the annual Santa Claus Parade, which takes place in a number of cities and features floats, marching bands, and, of course, Santa Claus. Other popular activities include ice skating, hockey, and spending time with family.
14. Ukraine
The main Christmas dish in Ukraine is kutia, a mix of boiled grains, honey, nuts, poppy seeds, dried fruits, and other toppings, and it is eaten first on Christmas Eve as part of a fasting meal that symbolizes the 12 apostles. On Christmas day, the fasting is broken, and Ukrainians go to church and pay their respects to family and friends.
15. Australia
Australia has unique Christmas traditions, including the Carols by Candlelight event, which is held in cities and towns all over the country on Christmas Eve and involves people gathering in parks and other public spaces to sing Christmas carols by candlelight.
16. Poland
Wigilia, the Christmas Eve meal, sharing the wafer, and singing songs are some of the most popular Polish Christmas customs, and one of the most unique is arranging an extra place at the table for an unexpected visitor.
17. Romania
During the Romanian Christmas celebrations, there is a custom of caroling from house to house; this is followed by a feast with regional specialties like sarmale (sarma), cozonac, and tuica.
18. Netherlands
Sinterklaas, the celebration of St. Nicholas’s arrival with gifts for children on December 5th, is one well-known Dutch Christmas tradition. Christmas Day itself is a more subdued affair in this country, marked by a church service and a family meal.
19. New Zealand
The Pohutukawa tree is part of the Christmas celebration in New Zealand. It’s endemic to New Zealand, blooms with showy scarlet blossoms every December and is hence sometimes referred to as the “Christmas tree” of the country.
20. Belgium
The feast of St. Nicholas, celebrated on December 6, is a religious services, family, and food day in Belgium. The traditional Belgian Christmas dinner begins with a drink and ‘nibbles’ followed by a three-course meal; the main course is typically roast stuffed turkey or other game or seafood.
21. Greece
Greeks hang a cross and light a fire on Christmas Eve to keep off “kallikantzaroi,” or mischievous goblins, who are said to emerge from the ground and wreak mischief during the course of the 12 days of Christmas.
22. Czechia
During Christmas Eve supper in the Czech Republic, it is customary to break a single, unblessed wafer and spread it among family members as a sign of family togetherness and forgiveness.
23. Sweden
The Gävle Goat, a gigantic straw goat that is created in the town of Gävle every year, has become renowned for being burned down by vandals virtually every year since its creation in 1966, making it a Christmas custom in Sweden.
24. Argentina
One Christmas custom in Argentina is the release of “globos,” or paper lanterns with lighted miniature candles inside, which are launched into the sky. This custom is practiced all across Argentina, including the capital city of Buenos Aires. Like little hot air balloons, the paper lanterns illuminate the night sky.
25. Portugal
Christmas Eve in Portugal is celebrated with a traditional meal called “Consoada,” which consists of codfish, boiled potatoes, and cabbage and is followed by desserts like “Bolo Rei” (King Cake) and “Rabanadas” (French toast).
26. Hungary
On the eve of Saint Nicholas Day (December 6), Mikulás, a character similar to Santa Claus, pays a visit to the homes of Hungarian youngsters. During the holiday, little children put out a boot for Mikulás to fill with sweets. But a “Christmas Monster,” a demonic creature, punishes children who have misbehaved during the year.
27. Belarus
In Belarus, the Christmas Eve supper, known as Kućcia, is given without meat and consists of at least 12 fish, mushroom, and vegetable dishes. The twelve represent the twelve apostles. In certain regions, it is customary to leave the supper table set for the night so that the ghosts of ancestors might return and feast.
28. Austria
The Krampuslauf is a parade where people dress up as Krampus, a horned, demonic creature who punishes bad children, but the most common Christmas custom in Austria is still spending time with loved ones and exchanging gifts.
29. Switzerland
Hundreds of people dress up as Santa Claus and race down a mountain on skis in the annual Santa Claus World Championships (“Clauwau”) in Switzerland during Christmas time.
30. Serbia
Badnjak is a Serbian Christmas tradition in which a young oak tree is cut down and brought inside the home on Christmas Eve to be burned as a symbol of the Yule log. However, Christmas is celebrated on January 7th by the Serbian Orthodox Church, and the holiday is preceded by a 40-day fast followed by three days of feasting and celebration.
31. Bulgaria
The Bulgarian ritual of kukeri, in which participants don elaborate costumes and masks to ward off bad spirits and bring good fortune in the next year, is one of the country’s Christmas customs.
32. Denmark
Danish Christmas is celebrated on December 24, and it involves breaking dishes on the doorsteps of friends and family in order to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits.
33. Finland
One Christmas Eve ritual in Finland is going to the sauna, but there is also a strong belief in the “Christmas goat,” a pre-Christian relic that is symbolized by a straw goat erected in many cities across the country.
34. Norway
While many people in Norway light lights and sing songs on Christmas Eve, one common custom involves concealing brooms so that witches and other bad spirits don’t take them and fly around the night sky.
35. Slovakia
When celebrating Christmas in Slovakia, it is customary to throw a scoop of loksa pudding toward the ceiling to ensure a bountiful crop the following year.
36. Ireland
The Wren Day is a Christmastime event in Ireland in which participants don straw outfits and masks to commemorate the legend of the wren, a bird that is claimed to have betrayed Irish warriors in a fight hundreds of years ago.
37. Croatia
A Yule log, said to bring good fortune and wealth to the home, is burned on Christmas Eve in Croatia. Christmas is commemorated with a feast, the exchange of presents, and attendance at midnight mass.
38. Armenia
In Armenia, bonfires are lit on Christmas Eve to represent Christ’s light, and Christmas is celebrated on January 6th and 7th, as per the Armenian Orthodox Apostolic Church’s calendar.
39. Lithuania
In Lithuania, fish, herring, beets, mushrooms, and other traditional foods are served at the Kūčios (a 12-dish Christmas Eve dinner) in a specific order at Christmas. They are meant to symbolize different things; the dinner is followed by the exchange of gifts and the singing of carols.
40. Moldova
Children in Moldova recite poetry and wish each other a happy and healthy new year as part of the “Sorcova,” a Christmas custom.
41. Slovenia
The lighting of the National Christmas Tree in Ljubljana, which is accompanied by a festive market and various cultural events, is the country’s popular Christmas tradition. The legend of the Kresnice, a Slovenian fairy who brings gifts to children on Christmas Eve, is said to live in the mountains.
42. North Macedonia
The Koliada (Koleda) is a pagan custom practiced in North Macedonia during Christmas. Young men visit homes, singing Christmas carols and wishing the family good fortune in exchange for food and presents.
43. Latvia
While the custom of adorning Christmas trees dates back to the 16th century in Latvia, the mummery, in which people dress up in costumes and travel from home to house, singing and dancing to ward off bad spirits, is one of the most unique customs associated with Christmas in the country.
44. Estonia
While the Estonian Christmas is celebrated on December 24 and is a time for families to come together and exchange gifts, one Christmas tradition in Estonia is to visit the sauna on Christmas Eve to cleanse the body and soul before the holiday.
45. Cyprus
While “Kalanda” (carols) is the most popular Christmas tradition in Cyprus, where children go from house to house for carols, sweets, and money, the lighting of a large bonfire on Christmas Eve, called fotagogia (illumination), symbolizes the light of Christ. People in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) assemble at the beach every Christmas day, rain or shine, to take part in the Christmas swim ritual.
46. Luxembourg
The ‘Emaischen’, a traditional folk festival held on Easter Monday in Luxembourg when people sell and buy pottery, is the country’s most widely celebrated Christmas custom.
47. Malta
The Maltese celebrate Christmas with the “Festa ta’ Nixxiegħa” (Feast of the Shepherds), a reenactment of the shepherds’ journey to Bethlehem that includes a procession of people dressed as shepherds, carrying lanterns, and singing carols.
48. Iceland
On December 24th, people in Iceland traditionally visit cemeteries to place candles on the graves of the departed. The Yule Cat, who eats those who don’t have new clothing before Christmas, is one of many strange and unusual Christmas customs practiced in Iceland, like 13 mischievous Santas and their evil mother Gryla.
Countries with Unofficial Christmas Celebrations
1. China
China does not observe the Christmas holiday widely. They gift Christmas Eve apples known as “Ping’an Ye” (平安夜), which literally translates to “peaceful or quiet evening,” and paper lanterns are hung both inside and outside of the Chinese homes.
2. Montenegro
The badnjak is a huge oak log that is ceremonially burned on Christmas Eve in Montenegro to represent the birth of Jesus and the end of the old year. However, Christmas on December 25th is not a national holiday in Montenegro since it’s recognized as a “Catholic Christmas” and the working day endures.
3. Azerbaijan
Although Christmas is not recognized by law in Azerbaijan, the nation begins its preparations in December. Nargiz Fund’s annual “Cold Hands, Warm Heart” market is a one-of-a-kind charitable event. This market has a massive Christmas tree covered with stunning lights. This custom represents the communal and generous attitude of the Christmas season.
4. Albania
Albania is not so fond of Christmas (59% Muslim, 38% Christian) but one distinctive Christmas celebration is the midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Generally, the Christians in Albania celebrate Christmas Eve with a special liturgy. Some women in Albania traditionally prepare a delicious cake called ballokume Elbasani to share with family and friends (ballokume means “honey lokum” in Turkish, which means “so delicious,” and Elbasani means “the flat province”).
5. Kosovo
Christmas is not an official or national holiday in Kosovo. But traditional Christmas celebrations in Kosovo (93% Muslim, 6% Christian) include decorating trees and exchanging presents, as well as the burning of a Yule log on Christmas Eve, which is said to bring good fortune and wealth. In this country, the badnjak (a huge oak log) is wrapped in a man’s shirt.
6. Japan
Christmas in Japan is not a public holiday; it is more of a secular holiday than a religious one, and one of the more unusual customs is the consumption of massive quantities of KFC fried chicken on Christmas Eve. This Christmas custom is so popular that people have to order their meals weeks in advance.
7. Kazakhstan
Even though Christians are a minority in Kazakhstan, people still celebrate Christmas, albeit in a secular fashion. It is believed that the origin of Santa Claus is “Ayaz Ata” in Turkic (“Father Frost”), and Turks have a centuries-old tradition of decorating pine trees in New Year festivals, which has apparently been adopted by Europeans. His helper, Kar Kız (Snow Maiden), brings presents to the children.
8. Cuba
One Christmas custom in Cuba is the Parrandas de Remedios, which is observed during Nochebuena (which means “the Good Night” for Christmas Eve) in the town of Remedios. There will be fireworks, floats, and dancing. In the 1820s, the village priest had the kids create a lot of noise to keep adults awake for the midnight mass, and thus, this custom was born.
9. Bosnia and Herzegovina
Just like in Serbia, the badnjak is a huge oak log that is ceremonially burned on Christmas Eve in Bosnia and Herzegovina to represent the warmth and light of Jesus, fend off evil spirits, and bring good luck to the home. Despite the custom, it’s not a public holiday.