Christmas is a public holiday in many places, and parties are held on December 25 to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, who is very important to Christians.
But because of different faiths, calendars, and customs, not all countries celebrate Christmas. This blog will talk about three countries that don’t celebrate Christmas and look at the other holidays they have instead.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, which is in the Middle East and has about 35 million people, is where Islam began, and over 95% of the people there follow it. In Islam, Jesus is seen as a prophet instead of the son of God, so Christmas is not a public event.
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There are no official parties or decorations, but some Christians, mostly foreigners and tourists, celebrate Christmas in secret with permission from the government.
Saudi Arabia celebrates two big Islamic holidays instead of Christmas: Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, and Eid al-Adha, which remembers Abraham’s readiness to kill his son Ishmael as a sacrifice. During these times, people pray, eat, give gifts, and do good things for others.
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China
China is in East Asia and has more than 1.4 billion people. It has a lot of different religions, such as Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Islam, and Christianity.
The government doesn’t recognize Christmas as a state holiday, though, because only about 5% of people celebrate it. There are no public parties or decorations, but some Christians in cities still celebrate Christmas in secret, and the authorities don’t mind.
Not Christmas, but the Chinese New Year, the Lantern Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, and the Mid-Autumn Festival are the holidays that people look forward to. The Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, is a very important holiday that is marked by fireworks, lion dances, red packages, family meetings, and special foods.
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Morocco
Morocco is in North Africa and has a population of about 37 million people. It is at the center of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, and it has a rich cultural history. Islam, which is home to more than 99% of the world’s people, doesn’t celebrate Jesus’ birth, so Christmas isn’t a state holiday there.
Even though there aren’t any public parties, some Christians, mostly foreigners and expats, celebrate Christmas in secret, which is okay with the government.
Morocco celebrates Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha instead of Christmas. They are two important Islamic holidays.
Morocco also has other national and cultural holidays, such as Throne Day, Independence Day, and Mawlid, which is a celebration of the birth of Prophet Muhammad. There are prayers, readings, processions, and sweets at the Mawlid.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, Christmas is an important holiday for many Christians around the world, but it’s not the only one. Arabia, China, and Morocco are some of the places that don’t celebrate Christmas because they have different religions and traditions.
They have their holidays that honor their culture and past. When we know about these different holidays, we can appreciate and enjoy the world’s range and beauty.