Top 8 Countries That Do Not Celebrate Christmas

Do you know that Christmas is barely 17 days away? Yeah! I know a lot of us have lost track of time, blame it on the recession. I have not even started hearing Christmas carols on auto-play in the various CD shops around Lagos, albeit, the jingle bells are ringing all around the world. While we are still expectant, will it shock you if I told you that some countries don’t even know what Christmas is all about? Yes, some countries actually don’t celebrate Christmas. Find out more in this article.

It is common knowledge that Christians are usually excited to celebrate Christmas festivity the best way they can, albeit there are some countries that for some or other reasons do not celebrate this event.. Christmas is celebrated differently all over the world, and every country has their own traditional way of celebrating the holiday season.

While Christmas is now largely a secular holiday celebrated by over 160 countries, it was traditionally a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, and so some countries don’t commemorate it. Either these countries are prohibited to celebrate Christmas or there is a religious difference regarding the concept behind celebrating Christmas

For those trying to escape Christmas this year, these destinations are your Top 8 best bet.

1. Saudi Arabia

If you belong to Christianity and somehow you have to spend your Christmas in Saudi Arabia then you are definitely in trouble. Saudi Arabia strictly prohibits the celebration of this occasion and at times considered as a conservative country in this regard.

People are not even allowed to buy items and exchange gifts, more reason why it is the number one on our list. Police of the country becomes active during December to stop the activities in this regard. Malls and marts are not even allowed to keep any stuff related to Christmas otherwise they are accountable to justify their activity.

2. Japan

Japan, being a non-Christian country, does not celebrate Christmas officially and therefore it comes at the first place on our list, after Saudi Arabia – the seat of Islam. In Tokyo, there is certainly a formal kind of celebration just to respect the eve but since it is not a Christian country by religion, there is no particular celebration on the name of Christmas.

This does not mean that people in Japan passes their last month of the year without any exciting celebrations as that in other countries. They do celebrate it in their own cultural and traditional way. Lovers are out for dining, kids become lucky to grab their gifts and families themselves celebrate the last month by visiting and partying.

3. Morocco

The population of Morocco is predominantly Muslim, so Christmas is not a major holiday.  While you won’t be bombarded with an onslaught Christmas lights and carolling choirs, walking the streets of Marrakech will see you bear witness to hundreds of brightly colored lanterns, and enveloped by the sound of the adhan (Muslim call to prayer).

 

4. Turkey

Turkey use to be a predominantly christian country until things took an ugly turn. Today, like Morocco, Turkey is largely a Muslim country. While there are a number of Christian communities, once again, December 25 passes by as just another day. But don’t worry – Istanbul’s stunning sites and vibrant neighbourhoods should be enough to distract you from the lack of Christmas spirit.

5. Pakistan

Pakistan is another country on this list where Islam is practiced officially as state religion. The concept of Christmas is way too dissimilar from that in Islam. Also, difference in culture and tradition also has a great influence on celebration of Christmas. but the major reason that cannot be neglected is religion. But all Pakistani Muslims respect the great occasion and the holy month for Christian.

6. Nepal

Are you eager to see the celebrations of Christmas in the most amazing way? But wait you are in Nepal? Forget your dream of doing so, because in Nepal Christmas is no more than another day of the year. People sleep on their time as usual. They are not even known of the fact that somewhere around the corners of the world, people are getting crazy and the cities are burning with the light of happiness and fireworks.

7. China

China must be mentioned in the list of not celebrating Christmas officially on a national level only. This is due to the outstanding decoration of streets and different venues and lights on the streets. People are allowed to express their happiness in any way they want. Shops start flooding with Christmas stuff and gift items to present on Christmas. It can be inferred that celebrating happiness is the other name of celebrating Christmas keeping religious differences aside, in China.

8. Somalia

This war-torn country has a bad habit of banning Christmas, and this year is no different. Their government claim it threatens the country’s Christian faith. Foreigners are free to mark the Christian holiday in their own homes, but hotels and other public places have been prohibited from marking the day. The country officially adopted sharia in 2009.