Around the world Christmas celebrations are being held, some date back to a historical figure born about 2000 years ago, some involve fun with family and friends, and some incorporate elephants and tractors.
Snow sculptors building the main snow sculpture on Christmas Eve at the Harbin Sun Island Snow Sculpture Exposition in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. Photo: AFP/ Xinhua News Agency.
Church services and ceremonies are being held throughout the world to mark the birth of Jesus Christ, the historical figure whose life and teachings Christianity was founded on.
Christians light candles, sing carols, and retell the nativity story of Jesus' untimely birth as his parents were taking shelter in stables in Bethlehem during a cross country trek because of a census.
The Bishop of Arras, Olivier Leborgne (centre), leads a Christmas mass for immigrants near their camps in Calais, France. Photo: AFP
In Thailand elephants wearing Santa hats and surgical masks passed out hand gel, face masks and balloons to students at a school's annual Christmas party - a Covid-19-era twist on a 15-year tradition in the Buddhist majority country.
"I'm so excited because an event like this only happens once a year and I think my school is the only place with elephant Santas," said elementary school student, Beyapha Mhonsuwan.
-Reuters
Russian National Guard officers dressed as Father Frost pass through the winter "Assault strip" in Kemerovo, Russia. Photo: AFP/ Sputnik/ Alexander Patrin
In Russia, National Guard school students took part in a training session called "Father Frost of special purpose".
According to their mission, terrorist hares stole magic balls from the Christmas tree and threatened to disrupt celebrations.
So, using Santa as a distraction, the students took positions in tactical combat spots, and defeated their opponent to return the magic balls to the Christmas tree.
Students of specialised classes of the Russian National Guard pass through the winter "Assault strip" in the Kemerovo region, Russia. Photo: AFP/ Sputnik/ Alexander Patrin
Mohamed Maarouf, 28, dressed as Saint Nicholas, distributes Christmas gifts in the slums of Basra, Iraq. Photo: AFP
Traditional marching bands paraded through the streets in Bethlehem and into Manger Square, watched by international and local tourists.
Roman Catholic Latin patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa held a midnight mass in the Church of the Nativity, on the square, the site traditionally held to be the spot Jesus was born.
In Bethlehem Palestinian scouts parade outside the Church of the Nativity, revered as the site of Jesus Christ's birth, with security forces standing guard during Christmas celebrations in Israeli-occupied West Bank. Photo: AFP/ Abbas Momami
A man dressed as Santa entertains kids at the Salvador del Mundo plaza in El Salvador. Photo: AFP/ Anadolu Agency
Launch of NASA's new space telescope was delayed until Christmas Day, with the countdown now scheduled to begin at 7.20am local time (1.20am on 26 December, NZT).
The James Webb Space Telescope, designed to peer farther than ever into the universe, was delayed due to poor weather at the launch site on South America's northeastern coast, the space agency said.
The 24-hour weather delay follows a two-day postponement from an earlier 22 December launch window caused by electronic communications difficulties between the launch vehicle and its payload, according to NASA.
-Reuters
Samaritan's Purse volunteers distribute toys at a donation site in a Kentucky high school, two weeks after a string of deadly tornadoes hit several US states. Photo: AFP
In the UK, Christmas cheer has been dampened by soaring Covid-19 numbers, with the Office for National Statistics estimating almost 10 percent of Londoners are infected with Covid-19 last Sunday.
Many shoppers still stood in lines stretching out the front of stores, with social distancing measures in place, and santa photos for children were scrapped.
But, news reports have followed a convoy of 342 tractors, travelling between rural villages to raise money for charity.
Known as Archer's Festive Charity Tractor Run, the tractors were decorated with Christmas lights
Ryan Archer, who founded the parade, was diagnosed with cancer 10 years ago, and said it gives him an energy boost every Christmas: "It certainly motivates me to stay healthy, get out the house and carry on living."
-BBC
In England, where shoppers have been concerned with soaring Omicron case numbers, a Christmas-themed decoration of knitted snowmen was placed on the top of a traditional red Royal Mail post box in Shoreham, southern England. Photo: AFP
