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Christmas is celebrated in more than 160 countries, even in those that are not predominantly Catholic. The Christmas tree, Santa Claus, the lights, the mistletoe and sometimes even the crib – they all have become symbols of celebration. And that applies even to those who do not believe in Jesus Christ or follow another religion.
However, there are some countries that do not celebrate Christmas. Let’s find out together what they are and why.
Muslim Countries That Don’t Celebrate Christmas
In Morocco, Christmas is a normal day of school and work. Most Moroccans follow the Muslim religion, that is, Islam.
According to the Koran, the Muslim sacred text, the birth of Jesus doesn’t need a real holiday. He is considered an important prophet, but not the son of God, as he is for Catholics. There are therefore no days of festivity, decorations, and rituals to follow at Christmas. There are other religious feasts, such as Eid ul Fitri, at the end of Ramdan and Eid ul Athra, at the end of the month of the pilgrimage. Those who want to celebrate Christmas, however, can take days off. The same thing happens in Turkey and Tunisia, other countries with a predominance of Muslim believers.
In other Arab countries, instead, people celebrate Christmas more openly. However, Christmas symbols lose their religious meaning and become symbols of celebration and fun. This is what happens, for example, in the Arab Emirates. Every year, in fact, the capital Dubai offers gigantic trees and spectacular decorations.
Countries Where Christmas Is on Another Day
In Iran, most non-Muslim believers are Orthodox Christians, who celebrate Christmas on January 7. Decorations, trees and cribs, therefore, appear when the holidays are already over in our country. This also applies to other Orthodox countries such as, for example, Russia.
Countries Where Christmas Is Not Allowed
In Saudi Arabia, people can only celebrate Christmas in private places. There are no places of worship, such as our churches, for local Christian Catholic believers (over a million and a half people). It is not possible to display Christmas decorations in almost every city.
On the other hand, in North Korea celebrating Christmas is really forbidden. People can celebrate other births, however – that of King Kim Jong, his grandmother and his mother.
Buddhist Countries That Don’t Celebrate Christmas
Christmas Decorations are also popular in other countries with a prevalence of Buddhism, for example in Japan. Here, even though Catholics are in the minority, the streets and shopping malls at Christmas are full of very refined illuminations and decorations for children. For some years now, thanks to an advertising campaign by KFC, which invited to celebrate Christmas in the American way, for the Japanese eating fried chicken on December 25 has become a Christmas tradition.
In Thailand, another predominantly Buddhist nation, even though Christmas is a day like any other, temperatures are summery and… you can go to the beach. The same thing happens in the Maldives, where almost all are Muslims. No coloured lights then – apart from those emitted by the water and the coral reef.
