Afghanistan is among the countries that do not celebrate Christmas (Image: Getty)
is an annual celebrated on December 25, marking the birth of Jesus Christ. Rooted in Christian tradition, it is observed by billions worldwide and has evolved to include a blend of religious, cultural, and secular customs.
Approximately 2.3 billion people worldwide celebrate Christmas in some form. This estimate is based on the global Christian population and the widespread secular observance of the holiday.
Christmas commemorates the nativity of Jesus, as described in the Bible, particularly in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. It is one of the most significant holidays in Christianity, alongside Easter.
The date, December 25th, was chosen in the 4th century, possibly to align with Roman pagan festivals like Saturnalia or Sol Invictus. Over centuries, Christmas traditions adapted to include both Christian and non-Christian elements.
While Christmas is widely celebrated around the world, there are countries where it is not officially observed, often due to religious, cultural, or political reasons.
North Korea also doesn’t celebrate Christmas (Image: Getty)
Other countries do give Christmas day observance despite it not being a public holiday there. These include: Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cambodia, China, Comoros, Iran, , 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 for religious reasons. December 25 marks Taiwan’s Constitution Day, commemorating the anniversary of the 1947 Constitution of the Republic of China.
Similarly, Christmas Day is a public holiday in Pakistan, but it is observed in honor of the birthday of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of the Islamic nation. In Pakistan, December 25 is not specifically designated for celebrating Christmas.
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, , and . While Armenia observes Christmas Day on January 6.
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Countries that do not celebrate Christmas
Afghanistan
Algeria
Bhutan
North Korea
Libya
Mauritania
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
Saudi Arabia
Somalia
Tajikistan
Tunisia
Turkmenistan
Yemen