For millions of Christians around the world, December 25 is marked by public holidays, church services and family gatherings.

Yet across several countries, Christmas Day passes as a regular working day, this shows the differences in religious composition, legal frameworks and historical traditions. In Nigeria it is officially a public holiday.

Israel stands out among these countries. Although it is home to Christian communities and holy sites central to Christianity, Christmas is not recognised as a nationwide public holiday.

The country’s official calendar is structured largely around Jewish religious observances, with public holidays tied to events such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Passover.

In Christian-majority towns and institutions, Christmas may be observed locally, but businesses and government offices nationwide largely remain open.

Across much of the Middle East and North Africa, Christmas is similarly absent from official public holiday calendars.

In countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Qatar and Oman, where Islam is the dominant religion and public life is shaped by Islamic traditions, December 25 is treated as a normal workday.

Over recent years, however, some of these countries have shown greater tolerance of private Christmas celebrations, particularly within expatriate communities, even if the day itself is not legally recognised.

Also in Asia, several countries with small Christian populations also do not designate Christmas as a public holiday. China, for example, does not observe Christmas as a national holiday, despite its growing visibility in major cities through commercial displays and cultural events.

Japan similarly does not treat December 25 as a public holiday, although Christmas has become widely popular as a cultural and commercial occasion, particularly among young people and families.

North Korea, one of the world’s most closed states, does not recognise Christmas and has historically discouraged religious observance altogether. In contrast, neighbouring Mongolia and Vietnam, while allowing religious freedom, do not list Christmas among official nationwide holidays, reflecting their secular governance structures.

In parts of Africa, including Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia, Christmas is not an official public holiday, even though Christian minorities are present.

Public holidays in these countries are largely aligned with Islamic festivals and national commemorations. Somalia and Mauritania also fall into this category, where December 25 passes without official recognition.

The absence of Christmas as a public holiday does not necessarily mean the festival is ignored. In many of these countries, churches still hold services, foreign embassies host events, and expatriate communities gather to celebrate.

Governments often allow such observances to take place privately, particularly in multicultural urban centres.

Countries where Christmas is not an official nationwide public holiday:

Q

1. Afghanistan

2. Algeria

3. Azerbaijan

4. Bahrain

5. Bhutan

6. Brunei

7. Cambodia

8. China (Mainland)

9. Comoros

10. Eritrea

11. Iran

12. Israel

13. Japan

14. Kuwait

15. Laos

16. Libya

17. Maldives

18. Mauritania

19. Mongolia

20. Morocco

21. Nepal

22. North Korea

23. Oman

24. Qatar

25. Western Sahara

26. Saudi Arabia

27. Somalia

28. Taiwan

29. Tajikistan

30. Thailand

31. Tunisia

32. Turkey

33. Turkmenistan

34. United Arab Emirates

35. Uzbekistan

36. Vietnam

37. Yemen (THE GUARDIAN)

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