Traditions

Christmas Day is celebrated as a major festival and public holiday in countries around the world, including many whose populations are mostly non Christian.In some non Christian countries, periods of former colonial rule introduced the celebration (e.g.Hong Kong) in others, Christian minorities or foreign cultural influences have led populations to observe the holiday.Countries such as Japan, where Christmas 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.Countries in which Christmas is not a formal public holiday include Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bhutan, Cambodia, China (excepting Hong Kong and Macao), Comoros, Iran, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Laos, Libya, Maldives, Mauritania, Mongolia, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Yemen.Christmas celebrations around the world can vary markedly in form, reflecting differing cultural and national traditions.