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In pictures: Christmas around the world

The best pictures celebrating the festive season

Thursday 06 December 2012 12:44 GMT

In pictures: Christmas around the world

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1/25In pictures: Christmas around the world

In pictures: Christmas around the world

Australia

A casual Santa Claus helps children to open their Christmas presents on Christmas Day at Brighton Beach in Melbourne

In pictures: Christmas around the world

Australia

A family enjoy their Christmas day swim at Bondi Beach in Sydney

In pictures: Christmas around the world

Australia

A 2-year-old boy dressed as Santa plays on surfboards at Bondi beach in Sydney, as Sydney-siders celebrated Christmas Day under wet and cloudy, but warm conditions

In pictures: Christmas around the world

Australia

Bondi Lifeguards pose in front of their Christmas tree at Bondi Beach in Sydney

In pictures: Christmas around the world

Bulgaria

A woman lights a candle during the Holy Christmas Day Mass at the Saint Alexander Nevski Cathedral in Sofia

In pictures: Christmas around the world

China

A diver dressed in a Santa Claus costume swims with fish at Qingdao Underwater World in Qingdao

In pictures: Christmas around the world

China

Winter swimmers wearing Santa Claus hats get out of a partially frozen lake after swimming in icy water to celebrate Christmas at a park in Shenyang, Liaoning province

In pictures: Christmas around the world

India

Indian children dressed as Santa Claus dance in front of a sculpture titled World Peace by sand artist Sudarshan Patnaik ahead of Christmas at a beach in Puri, in the eastern Indian city of Bhubaneswar

In pictures: Christmas around the world

Indonesia

Santa Claus surprises children through a hotel window at The Alana Hotel in Surabaya

In pictures: Christmas around the world

Japan

A zookeeper wearing a Santa Claus costume feeds fruit and vegetables to Japanese macaques at Tokyo's Ueno Zoo

In pictures: Christmas around the world

Lebanon

Two Lebanese women wearing Santa Claus outfits and waving their national flag water ski during a show in the bay of Jounieh, 20 km North of Beirut

In pictures: Christmas around the world

Pakistan

People dressed as Santa Claus ride a horse cart ahead of Christmas celebrations in Lahore. Although Pakistani Christians are in the minority, Christmas is a national holiday and is observed across the country as an occasion to celebrate

In pictures: Christmas around the world

Peru

Dancers dressed as Santa Claus and an elf perform for children from orphanages in an event ahead of Christmas celebrations at the Government Palace in Lima. More than 600 hundred children from public orphanages of Lima, enjoyed a Christmas music show and received presents, in an event organized by Peru's Government Palace

In pictures: Christmas around the world

Philippines

A member of Clowns Without Borders performs in front of young survivors of the super Typhoon Haiyan

In pictures: Christmas around the world

Philippines

A girl holds up a teddy bear she found among piles of debris discarded by a grocery store on Christmas day in Tacloban, Leyte

In pictures: Christmas around the world

Philippines

A foreign-volunteer dressed as Santa Claus distributes goodies during Christmas day to children-survivors of the super Typhoon Haiyan in the streets of Tacloban city

In pictures: Christmas around the world

Philippines

A girl discovers a doll discarded by a grocery store on Christmas day in Tacloban, Leyte

In pictures: Christmas around the world

Philippines

Filipino hairdressers wear Santa hats as they cut hair during Christmas eve at a shop in downtown Manila. Christmas is one of the most important holidays in this predominantly Roman Catholic nation

In pictures: Christmas around the world

USA

Pancho Claus, Rudy Martinez, prepares to hands out gifts in a class during a visit to Knowlton Elementary School, in San Antonio. Pancho Claus, a Tex-Mex Santa borne from the Chicano civil rights movement in the late 1970s and early 1980s, is now an adored Christmas fixture in many Texas cities

In pictures: Christmas around the world

South Korea

Models dressed as Santa Clauses perform together with a brass band in celebration of Christmas, at Times Square in Yeongdeungpo, western Seoul

In pictures: Christmas around the world

South Korea

More than 1,000 volunteers clad in Santa Claus costumes throw their hats in the air as they gather to deliver gifts for the poor in downtown Seoul

In pictures: Christmas around the world

UK

Ring-tailed lemurs getting into the festive spirit with some Christmas crackers at the farm in Pembrokeshire, Wales

In pictures: Christmas around the world

USA

A San Francisco 49ers fan dressed as Santa Claus celebrates during the second half of the 49ers' NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons in San Francisco

In pictures: Christmas around the world

USA

The Empire State Building in Herald Square as it is lit up in Christmas colour lights on Christmas Day in New York

In pictures: Christmas around the world

Vietnam

A man wearing a Santa Claus costume rides a motorbike at a street in Hanoi. Christmas is not an official holiday in Vietnam, however some of its customs have become more popular in recent years

Our gallery of the best images of Christmas around the globe

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