In Pictures: Christmas celebrations begin worldwide but are muted in Bethlehem

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In Pictures: Christmas Celebrations Begin Worldwide But Are Muted In Bethlehem
People walk by the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus, on Christmas Eve, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, © Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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By PA

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.


Florida Christmas
Mike Womack, 52, puts the final touches on a Christmas tree along Sunset Beach in Tarpon Springs, Florida (Chris Urso/AP)


Estonia Christmas
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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India Christmas
An artist performs at an illuminated area of a promenade on the eve of Christmas in Mumbai, India (Rafiq Maqbool/AP)


India Christmas
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)
People drink as they swim with Santa hats in Lake Leman at Bains des Paquis on Christmas Eve, in Geneva, Switzerland (Martial Trezzini/AP)


Germany Christmas
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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China Christmas
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)


South Korea Christmas
People gather around illuminated Christmas decorations on Christmas Eve in Seoul, South Korea (Ahn Young-joon/AP)


Spain Christmas
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.


Israel Palestinians Christmas
A priest walks by the Church of the Nativity (Mahmoud Illean/AP)


Israel Palestinians Christmas
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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Israel Palestinians Christmas
Catholic clergy walk in procession next to the Church of the Nativity (Mahmoud Illean/AP)


Israel Palestinians
Christian Armenian priests pray in the Grotto, under the Church of the Nativity (Leo Correa/AP)

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