List of countries where Christmas is not celebrated on December 25
As Kenya joins much of the world in celebrating Christmas on December 25, not all countries observe the holiday on this date.
Cultural traditions, religious calendars, and national policies mean that Christmas is either celebrated on a different day or not officially observed at all in some nations.
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Before exploring specific countries, it is important to understand that Christmas is observed differently around the world. While many nations follow the Gregorian calendar used in everyday life, some Christian communities base their religious celebrations on older calendar systems.
These differences influence not only the date of Christmas but also how the holiday is observed.
Christmas is a global holiday, but its observance varies widely. While December 25 is central in Western Christianity, many countries either celebrate it on a different date or do not officially recognise it at all, reflecting the diverse cultures and beliefs around the world.
Here is a look at how different countries around the world observe Christmas.
Christmas on January 7
The Eastern Orthodox Church calendar is based on the Julian calendar, an older calendar system introduced in 45 BCE. Over time, the Julian calendar fell out of sync with the solar year.
Due to this difference, churches that still follow the Julian calendar observe major Christian feasts 13 days later than those that use the Gregorian calendar. This is why Christmas is celebrated on January 7 in many Eastern Orthodox countries.
The countries include Russia, Ethiopia, Serbia, Georgia, Ukraine (some Orthodox communities), Belarus, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kazakhstan and Armenia (which celebrates Christmas on January 6).
Christmas not an official public holiday
In several countries, Christmas is not widely celebrated due to religious demographics or government policy.
These countries include Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia (celebrated by Christians but not nationwide), Japan (observed culturally, not religiously or as a public holiday) and China (not an official public holiday).
Christmas Observance Is Minimal or Cultural
In some nations, Christmas exists more as a cultural or commercial event rather than a religious one.
Here are some of the countries, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.
