Christmas 2013 has come and gone, but the moments of celebration and joy live on in memories and in photos.
Whether it’s celebrated during a quiet night by the fire with eggnog and gingerbread or in the streets with processions and dancing, Christmas is a special time for people all over the world, and everyone has their own way of commemorating the age-old traditions of the holiday season.
Here are some of the highlights from Christmas 2013 around the world.
Hawaii, U.S. Staci Kennedy of Cape Cod, Mass., takes a photo of her friends Pam Walker and Andy Hryniewich after they decorated a Christmas tree on the beach at Waikiki in Honolulu, Hawaii on Christmas day. Kennedy and her friends have been taking part in this Christmas day festivity for 16 years.ReutersPrincipality of Monaco. Prince Albert II of Monaco and his wife Princess Charlene wave to the children as they arrive for the traditional Christmas tree ceremony at the Monaco Palace on Dec. 18. ReutersBethlehem, West Bank. A Greek Orthodox priest walks inside the Church of the Nativity, the site revered as the birthplace of Jesus, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem on Dec. 23.ReutersBasque Country, Spain. A dancer is lifted by his companions in front during Christmas Eve celebrations in Elorrio, Dec. 24. In Basque tradition, the Basque Father Christmas called Olentzero, a pipe-smoking, wine-drinking coal man, delivers presents on Christmas Eve to Basque children, many of whom also enjoy a second round of gifts on Jan. 6, the day of the Reyes Magos or The Three Kings. ReutersZagreb, Republic of Croatia. Sky lanterns take flight during the "Kapulica & Lanterns" event in Zagreb Dec. 23. The event, organized by contemporary artist Kresimir Tadija Kapulica as part of the ArtOmat Fair ahead of Christmas, involves people releasing about a thousand lanterns to symbolize sending their wishes to the universe.ReutersPortrush, Ireland. People brave freezing temperatures during a charity swim in the small seaside resort town of Portrush in Northern Ireland on Dec. 22. ReutersOdisha, India. Children dressed in Santa Claus costumes pose in front of a sand sculpture featuring Jesus and Santa Claus created by Indian artist Sudarshan Pattnaik. The sand sculpture was part of Christmas celebrations on a beach in Puri, located in the eastern Indian state of Odisha, Dec. 24.ReutersTacloban, Philippines. A typhoon survivor decorates a Christmas tree amidst the rubble of destroyed houses in Tacloban city in central Philippines Dec. 17. Super typhoon Haiyan reduced almost everything in its path to rubble when it swept ashore on Nov. 8, killing at least 6,000 people, leaving thousands more missing and 4 million either homeless or with damaged homes.ReutersVatican City, Rome. Pope Francis kisses the baby Jesus statue as he leads the Christmas night mass in the Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Dec. 24.ReutersHubei, China. A couple participates in a kissing competition to celebrate Christmas in Wuhan, Hubei province Dec. 24. The competition required the attendants to kiss in different postures for a prize worth 15,000 Yuan ($2,470 USD), according to local media.ReutersOmdurman, Sudan. A South Sudanese girl living in the North reacts during Christmas day celebrations at a Catholic church in the Umbada locality of Omdurman.ReutersSeoul, South Korea. Penguins wearing Santa Claus and Christmas tree costumes march during a promotional event for Christmas at an amusement park in Yongin, south of Seoul, Dec. 18.ReutersKrasnoyarsk, Russia. A member of the "Skipper" yacht club dressed as Santa Claus sails his trimaran to mark the ending of the sailboat season. With heavy snowfall and an air temperature of minus 8 degrees Celsius (17.6 Fahrenheit), his trip down the Yenisei River, outside Russia's Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk on Dec. 18, was no walk in the park.Reuters
