Countries where Christmas isn’t a public holiday and where it’s banned

While much of the world marks December 25 with church services, family gatherings and public holidays, billions of people globally experience Christmas as an ordinary working day.

That doesn’t always mean Christmas is “forbidden.” In practice, countries that don’t celebrate Christmas fall into three broad categories: those where it is not a public holiday, those where religious demographics shape public policy, and a small number where celebrations are restricted or discouraged by the state.

Here is how different countries around the world treat Christmas Day.

In these countries, government offices, schools and businesses remain open on December 25, even though Christmas imagery and commercial celebrations are common, especially in major cities.

With Christians making up about 1% of the population, Christmas is not a national holiday. Instead, it has evolved into a romantic, commercial event, similar to Valentine’s Day. 

A uniquely Japanese tradition has also taken root: families pre-order KFC fried chicken and strawberry shortcake, a trend dating back to a 1970s marketing campaign.

Christmas is not a public holiday, and for most people it is a normal workday. However, in large cities like Beijing and Shanghai, shopping malls and hotels often feature Christmas trees and decorations.

Exception: Hong Kong and Macau observe Christmas as a public holiday due to their colonial-era legal frameworks.

A predominantly Buddhist country, Thailand does not recognise Christmas as a public holiday. Decorations are common in tourist areas, hotels and malls, but schools and offices operate as usual.

Despite having one of Southeast Asia’s largest Catholic populations, Christmas is not a national public holiday. Churches are active on December 25, but the communist state does not formally recognise the day.

As a secular but Muslim-majority country, December 25 is a normal working day. However, many Turks celebrate New Year’s Eve with traditions that resemble Christmas, including decorated trees and Noel Baba (Father Noel), a figure inspired by St. Nicholas, who was born in what is now modern-day Turkey.

In many Islamic nations, Christmas is not recognised as a public holiday because Islam views Jesus as a prophet, not the son of God, and the holiday is seen as distinctly Christian.

For decades, public Christmas celebrations were strictly prohibited. In recent years, enforcement has eased somewhat, and Christmas items can occasionally be found in shops. However, December 25 is not a holiday, and public displays remain limited.

Christmas is not a public holiday, but Christian minorities such as Armenians and Assyrians are legally permitted to celebrate and hold church services.

In these countries, Christmas is not officially observed, and December 25 passes as a regular day, reflecting religious demographics rather than explicit bans.

A small number of states go further by actively restricting or discouraging Christmas celebrations, often for ideological or religious reasons.

Christmas is effectively banned. The government suppresses religious observance and instead promotes state holidays, including the birthdays of the Kim dynasty leaders.

In 2015, Somali authorities announced a ban on public Christmas and New Year celebrations, arguing that such events were incompatible with the country’s Islamic identity. The ban primarily targets public festivities rather than private observance.

Public Christmas celebrations, such as wearing Santa hats or displaying decorations, are restricted and can carry penalties. Non-Muslims are allowed to celebrate privately in homes or places of worship.

The government has progressively restricted foreign cultural symbols, including banning Christmas trees, gift-giving and Father Frost imagery in schools and public institutions, though private celebrations are not illegal.

Israel presents a unique contradiction.

Despite being close to key biblical sites, including Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, Israel is a Jewish-majority state, and Christmas is not a public holiday for the general population. Businesses operate normally, and public transport runs as usual.

However:

Christmas is officially recognised for Christian communities
Cities such as Nazareth and parts of Jerusalem’s Old City host major public celebrations
Hanukkah, which often falls in December, is the primary winter holiday nationwide

Not celebrating Christmas does not always mean rejecting it. In many countries, the distinction lies between state recognition and private observance. 

While December 25 is a global cultural moment, its status as a public holiday remains deeply shaped by religion, history and politics.