Christmas scenes from around the world
Christmas is celebrated all over the world, but in very distinct ways. From cruising the Amazon in Brazil to a motorcycle rally in India, here's what the festive season looks like around the globe.
Classic Christmas scenery in Finland
For many people, Christmas conjures up images of snow, reindeer, sleighs, starry nights and Santa Claus with a flowing white beard. And that's exactly how Christmas looks in Rovaniemi, Finland. The city with 65,000 inhabitants is located just a few kilometers south of the Arctic Circle in Lapland. If this is your idea of the perfect Christmas scene, then brace yourself for the next image…
Inflatable snowmen catch some rays in Cuba
Christmas in Cuba looks like the polar opposite of snowy Scandinavia. Inflatable reindeer and snowmen donning sunglasses decorate the bright, sunny streets of the Cuban capital Havana.
Kitschy vibes in Johannesburg
Some people like to decorate their cars as well as their trees during the Christmas season in Johannesburg. With its colorful fairy lights, this car certainly stands out in the South African city of five million inhabitants.
Christmas on two wheels in India
Santa Claus takes a ride on motorcycle in India's fourth-largest city Bengaluru. Here, some of its 13 million inhabitants are taking part in a Christmas charity rally for children with disabilities.
Tight security in Damascus
In Damascus, a soldier patrols a Christian neighborhood on December 23, 2025. After a long period of civil war and the fall of brutal dictator Bashar al-Assad, security has been tightened in the Syrian capital over the festive season.
Not your standard nativity scene in the US
A nativity scene like so many others around the world. But this one in the small town of Dedham, Massachusetts, is missing something: baby Jesus. "ICE was here" refers to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which has hit the headlines with its increasingly aggressive operations.
Santa swings from a bridge in Guatemala
This Santa Claus is going to extreme lengths to get presents to kids in Guatemala City. By day he's a firefighter in the Guatemalan capital in Central America.
Christmas cruising the Amazon in Brazil
This Santa Claus is on his way to deliver gifts for children in the community of Careiro da Varzea, which has a population of 20,000, in the state of Amazonas in Brazil. The aim is to bring Christmas closer to children in remote communities in the rainforest.
Santa goes scuba in India
This underwater Santa Claus brings Christmas cheer to the crowds at a marine aquarium in the megacity of Chennai, located on the east coast in southern India. Merry Christmas!