Christmas celebrations were getting under way across the world although in Bethlehem the ongoing conflict in Gaza cast a large shadow over festivities in the Holy Land.
In the midst of the usual pre-Christmas last-minute shopping and preparations, one man in Florida put the final touch to his Christmas tree on a sunny beach in Florida.
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In Switzerland and Germany, some took a dip in cold waters with little other than swimming trunks and a Santa hat to keep out the cold.
Many gathered in city and town squares, often below a Christmas tree, while some late requests to Santa came in as he prepared to begin his annual trek.
Mike Womack, 52, puts the final touches on a Christmas tree along Sunset Beach in Tarpon Springs, Florida (Chris Urso/AP)
Letters to Santa Claus hang on a Christmas tree in Town Hall square on Christmas Eve in Tallinn, Estonia (Pavel Golovkin/AP)
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An artist performs at an illuminated area of a promenade on the eve of Christmas in Mumbai, India (Rafiq Maqbool/AP)
People take selfies in front of the decorated St Joseph’s Cathedral on the eve of Christmas in Prayagraj, India (Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP)
People drink as they swim with Santa hats in Lake Leman at Bains des Paquis on Christmas Eve, in Geneva, Switzerland (Martial Trezzini/AP)
Members of the winter swimming club Pirrlliepausen take their traditional Christmas swim in the 4C (40F) cold Lake Senftenberg, in Germany (Bernd W’stneck/AP)
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A woman takes a picture of a child jumping near a Christmas tree decorated outside the Wangfujing Church, a Catholic church, on Christmas Eve in Beijing (Andy Wong/AP)
People gather around illuminated Christmas decorations on Christmas Eve in Seoul, South Korea (Ahn Young-joon/AP)
People dressed in Santa Claus costumes take part in a morning run on Christmas Eve in Madrid (Paul White/AP)
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However, in Bethlehem, which in Christian tradition is the birthplace of Jesus, the celebrations were overshadowed by the events in Gaza which has been beset by conflict since October 7 when Israel was attacked.
Elsewhere, security operations were in place to ensure the celebrations passed off peacefully amid high tensions linked to the conflict in the Holy Land.
A priest walks by the Church of the Nativity (Mahmoud Illean/AP)
People visit the Grotto under the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus, on Christmas Eve (Mahmoud Illean/AP)
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Catholic clergy walk in procession next to the Church of the Nativity (Mahmoud Illean/AP)
Christian Armenian priests pray in the Grotto, under the Church of the Nativity (Leo Correa/AP)
