What Countries Did Not Celebrate Christmas?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Afghanistan, Algeria, Bhutan

, North Korea, Libya, Mauritania, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Yemen do not recognize Christmas as a public .

Where is Christmas banned?

The public celebration of Christmas has been banned in the tiny

oil-rich Islamic state of Brunei

since 2015, with anyone found violating the law facing up to five years in jail or a fine of US $20,000, or both.

Which country does not celebrate Christmas?

Countries in which Christmas is not a formal public holiday include

Afghanistan

, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bhutan, Cambodia, China (excepting Hong Kong and Macau), the Comoros, Iran, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Laos, Libya, the Maldives, Mauritania, Mongolia, Morocco, North Korea, Oman, Qatar, the Sahrawi Republic, …

Who dont celebrate Christmas?

Millions of Christians do not observe Christmas. Among them are

Quakers, Jehovah's Witnesses

, and members of the Churches of Christ.

Does every country celebrate Christmas?

The observance of

Christmas occurs in 160 countries worldwide

and celebration varies by country. Some countries celebrate on Christmas Day, or December 25th, while others celebrate the day before or the day after. … Churches and families set up nativity scenes depicting the birth of Jesus Christ.

Which country celebrates Christmas last?

Baker Island and Howland Island will see the New Year at 12pm GMT on January 1 – but as it's uninhabited, we tend to forget about it. Second to last will be

American Samoa

at 11am – just 558 miles from Tonga, where locals and visitors were celebrating a full 25 hours before.

Which country has the least public holidays in the world?


Norway

and has the lowest in the world with only two paid public holidays.

How long was Christmas banned in England?

The rejection of Christmas as a joyful period was reiterated when a 1644 ordinance confirmed the abolition of the feasts of Christmas, Easter and Whitsun. From this point

until the Restoration in 1660

, Christmas was officially illegal.

Does China celebrate Christmas?

Christmas in Mainland

China is not a public holiday

and is not related to religion at all. It's more of a novelty day like Valentine's Day, rather than a religious celebration. But you'll still see the malls and streets of the big cities filled with Christmas decorations, fir trees, Santa Claus and carols.

Why was Christmas banned in Cuba?

In 1969, Fidel Castro banned the people in his country from celebrating Christmas at all (Christmas to be Observed in Cuba). The reasoning behind the ban on Christmas was

to keep the people in the sugar cane fields so that there would be a bigger harvest of sugar each year

(Ojito).

What religion doesn't believe in Christmas?


Jehovah's Witnesses

do not celebrate most holidays or events that honour people who aren't Jesus. That includes birthdays, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day and Hallowe'en. They also don't celebrate religious holidays such as Christmas and Easter in the belief that these customs have pagan origins.

Is decorating a Christmas tree a sin?

Thou

shalt not plant thee

a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee. The scripture points to the people planting trees near the holy place of God which means you can't place anything in the holy place which would take the attention off of God.

Which countries do not celebrate birthdays?

If you ever travel to

Bhutan

, ask the Bhutanese about their birthdays. And trust me, you will not get an answer! That's because birthdays aren't celebrated in the world's happiest country.

Which country gets Christmas first?


New Zealand

is the first country on the western side of the International Date Line, the place where each day begins. The International Date Line is an imaginary line on the surface of the Earth that sits mostly on the 180o line of longitude in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

How long does Christmas last?

The

12 Days

of Christmas start on Christmas Day and last until the evening of the 5th January – also known as Twelfth Night.

Why can't we say Merry Christmas anymore?

In the last few years, it has been seen as an offence! On one side are the politically correct who think that the expression “Merry Christmas” is too exclusionary. They believe we should not say “Merry Christmas”

because it might offend those of different faiths

, like Muslims or Jews or Hindus.

Maria Kunar
Author
Maria Kunar
Maria is a cultural enthusiast and expert on holiday traditions. With a focus on the cultural significance of celebrations, Maria has written several blogs on the history of holidays and has been featured in various cultural publications. Maria's knowledge of traditions will help you appreciate the meaning behind celebrations.