Photos: 2016 Christmas around the world

A worker plows the grass in front of decorations on Christmas day in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2016. There are a lack of Christmas decorations in Cairo due to the devaluation of the Egyptian pound which affected inflation. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)
A worker plows the grass in front of decorations on Christmas day in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2016. There are a lack of Christmas decorations in Cairo due to the devaluation of the Egyptian pound which affected inflation. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)
Women dressed as Santa Claus prepare to jump into the Mediterranean sea as they take part in the Copa Nadal in the Spanish port of Barcelona, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2016. The Copa Nadal (Christmas Cup) is a traditional swimming competition that takes place in Barcelona every December 25th, where participants swim 200 meters in the open sea in the port of Barcelona. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Women dressed as Santa Claus prepare to jump into the Mediterranean sea as they take part in the Copa Nadal in the Spanish port of Barcelona, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2016. The Copa Nadal (Christmas Cup) is a traditional swimming competition that takes place in Barcelona every December 25th, where participants swim 200 meters in the open sea in the port of Barcelona. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
A British airman dressed as Santa Claus waves during a soccer match between British and German soldiers in Christmas day at Resolute Support HQ, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2016. NATO soldiers, Resolute Support mission played a soccer match marking the 102 years anniversary of WW1 in Kabul. The match ended up with British winning the match by (1-0). (AP Photos/Massoud Hossaini)
A British airman dressed as Santa Claus waves during a soccer match between British and German soldiers in Christmas day at Resolute Support HQ, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2016. NATO soldiers, Resolute Support mission played a soccer match marking the 102 years anniversary of WW1 in Kabul. The match ended up with British winning the match by (1-0). (AP Photos/Massoud Hossaini)
In this photo taken Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016, Catholic faithfuls sing during a mass to celebrate Christmas at Philippe Amore Catholic Church in Goa, Mali. Just four years ago strict Islamic law was in force in this town, but Christians have returned to rebuild their congregation that fled the jihadist occupation. (AP Photo/Baba Ahmed)
In this photo taken Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016, Catholic faithfuls sing during a mass to celebrate Christmas at Philippe Amore Catholic Church in Goa, Mali. Just four years ago strict Islamic law was in force in this town, but Christians have returned to rebuild their congregation that fled the jihadist occupation. (AP Photo/Baba Ahmed)
A Sri Lankan family takes photographs standing near an enormous artificial Christmas tree as others gather around it in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. Sri Lanka has unveiled a towering Christmas tree, claiming to have surpassed the world record for the tallest artificial Christmas tree. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
A Christian worshipper prays after lighting a candle on Christmas Eve at the Church of the Nativity, built atop the site where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born, in the West Bank City of Bethlehem, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)
Traffic police officer Marco Chira, dressed in a Santa Claus costime, rides his motorcycle outside the government palace in downtown Lima, Peru, Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016. The capital's traffic cops dressing as Santa and his helpers is an annual holiday ritual for the police department. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
Traffic police officer Marco Chira, dressed in a Santa Claus costime, rides his motorcycle outside the government palace in downtown Lima, Peru, Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016. The capital’s traffic cops dressing as Santa and his helpers is an annual holiday ritual for the police department. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
A child stands inside a large soap bubble made by a street artist at a Christmas market at the Plaza Mayor, or main square, in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016 the day after a truck ran into a crowded Christmas market and killing people Monday evening in Berlin, Germany. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)
A child stands inside a large soap bubble made by a street artist at a Christmas market at the Plaza Mayor, or main square, in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016 the day after a truck ran into a crowded Christmas market and killing people Monday evening in Berlin, Germany. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)
A Bengal tiger cub named "Tiger Duterte" is bottle fed during their annual "Animal Christmas Party" at the Malabon Zoo in Malabon, north of Manila, Philippines Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2016. The zoo also gave away Christmas gifts to orphans during the event. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
A Bengal tiger cub named “Tiger Duterte” is bottle fed during their annual “Animal Christmas Party” at the Malabon Zoo in Malabon, north of Manila, Philippines Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2016. The zoo also gave away Christmas gifts to orphans during the event. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
People are silhouetted against a giant light sculpture at the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, as part of celebrations in the lead up to Christmas, on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2016.(AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
People are silhouetted against a giant light sculpture at the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, as part of celebrations in the lead up to Christmas, on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2016. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
Augustin Ramos, who runs the lottery office selling winning lottery tickets for the El Gordo, and his wife Maria Josefa Rojo Cabrera pose for a snapshot, after selling and winning a prize in Madrid, Spain, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016. Celebrations erupted across Madrid on Thursday after all the tickets with the top prize-winning number in Spain's 2.6 billion-euro ($2.7 billion) Christmas lottery were sold in one city neighborhood. The number 66513 appeared on 1,650 tickets in the lottery known as El Gordo (The Fat One), with each ticket holder winning 400,000 euros ($418,000). (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)
Augustin Ramos, who runs the lottery office selling winning lottery tickets for the El Gordo, and his wife Maria Josefa Rojo Cabrera pose for a snapshot, after selling and winning a prize in Madrid, Spain, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016. Celebrations erupted across Madrid on Thursday after all the tickets with the top prize-winning number in Spain’s 2.6 billion-euro ($2.7 billion) Christmas lottery were sold in one city neighborhood. The number 66513 appeared on 1,650 tickets in the lottery known as El Gordo (The Fat One), with each ticket holder winning 400,000 euros ($418,000). (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)
A Christian gives final touches to a mural of Santa Claus in preparation for Christmas celebrations in Karachi, Pakistan, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Shakil Adil)
A Christian gives final touches to a mural of Santa Claus in preparation for Christmas celebrations in Karachi, Pakistan, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Shakil Adil)
A girls sells Santa caps and masks at a traffic intersection on the Christmas eve in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. Though the Hindus and Muslims comprise majority of the population in India, Christmas is a national holiday celebrated with much fanfare. (AP Photo/Yirmiyan Arthur)
A girls sells Santa caps and masks at a traffic intersection on the Christmas eve in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. Though the Hindus and Muslims comprise majority of the population in India, Christmas is a national holiday celebrated with much fanfare. (AP Photo/Yirmiyan Arthur)
Indians shop on the eve of Christmas in Hyderabad, India, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. Though the Hindus and Muslims comprise majority of the population in India, Christmas is a national holiday celebrated with much fanfare. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
Indians shop on the eve of Christmas in Hyderabad, India, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. Though the Hindus and Muslims comprise majority of the population in India, Christmas is a national holiday celebrated with much fanfare. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
People visit Mexico City’s main plaza, the Zocalo, decked out with neon Christmas decorations and an artificial tree standing 70 meters or about 230 feet high, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
People visit Mexico City’s main plaza, the Zocalo, decked out with neon Christmas decorations and an artificial tree standing 70 meters or about 230 feet high, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
Locals walk past a lit Christmas display at a park in Pasay, south of Manila, Philippines on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016. Christmas decorations adorn the streets and homes of many Filipinos as this predominantly Roman Catholic country prepare to celebrate the most important and beloved Christmas season. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Locals walk past a lit Christmas display at a park in Pasay, south of Manila, Philippines on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016. Christmas decorations adorn the streets and homes of many Filipinos as this predominantly Roman Catholic country prepare to celebrate the most important and beloved Christmas season. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Visitors take a selfie in front of the illuminated Christmas tree at Cathedral square in Vilnius, Lithuania, Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
Visitors take a selfie in front of the illuminated Christmas tree at Cathedral square in Vilnius, Lithuania, Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
Pope Francis holding a statue of Baby Jesus leaves at the end of the Christmas Eve Mass celebrated in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. The pontiff urged Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus by thinking about the plight of today's children, bemoaning how they're forced to hide to escape bombs or flee in a migrant boat or how they’re prevented from being born entirely. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Pope Francis holding a statue of Baby Jesus leaves at the end of the Christmas Eve Mass celebrated in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. The pontiff urged Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus by thinking about the plight of today’s children, bemoaning how they’re forced to hide to escape bombs or flee in a migrant boat or how they’re prevented from being born entirely. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
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A worker plows the grass in front of decorations on Christmas day in Cairo, Egypt, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2016. There are a lack of Christmas decorations in Cairo due to the devaluation of the Egyptian pound which affected inflation. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)
Women dressed as Santa Claus prepare to jump into the Mediterranean sea as they take part in the Copa Nadal in the Spanish port of Barcelona, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2016. The Copa Nadal (Christmas Cup) is a traditional swimming competition that takes place in Barcelona every December 25th, where participants swim 200 meters in the open sea in the port of Barcelona. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
A British airman dressed as Santa Claus waves during a soccer match between British and German soldiers in Christmas day at Resolute Support HQ, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2016. NATO soldiers, Resolute Support mission played a soccer match marking the 102 years anniversary of WW1 in Kabul. The match ended up with British winning the match by (1-0). (AP Photos/Massoud Hossaini)
In this photo taken Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016, Catholic faithfuls sing during a mass to celebrate Christmas at Philippe Amore Catholic Church in Goa, Mali. Just four years ago strict Islamic law was in force in this town, but Christians have returned to rebuild their congregation that fled the jihadist occupation. (AP Photo/Baba Ahmed)
Traffic police officer Marco Chira, dressed in a Santa Claus costime, rides his motorcycle outside the government palace in downtown Lima, Peru, Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016. The capital's traffic cops dressing as Santa and his helpers is an annual holiday ritual for the police department. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
A child stands inside a large soap bubble made by a street artist at a Christmas market at the Plaza Mayor, or main square, in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016 the day after a truck ran into a crowded Christmas market and killing people Monday evening in Berlin, Germany. (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)
A Bengal tiger cub named "Tiger Duterte" is bottle fed during their annual "Animal Christmas Party" at the Malabon Zoo in Malabon, north of Manila, Philippines Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2016. The zoo also gave away Christmas gifts to orphans during the event. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
People are silhouetted against a giant light sculpture at the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, as part of celebrations in the lead up to Christmas, on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2016.(AP Photo/Wong Maye-E)
Augustin Ramos, who runs the lottery office selling winning lottery tickets for the El Gordo, and his wife Maria Josefa Rojo Cabrera pose for a snapshot, after selling and winning a prize in Madrid, Spain, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016. Celebrations erupted across Madrid on Thursday after all the tickets with the top prize-winning number in Spain's 2.6 billion-euro ($2.7 billion) Christmas lottery were sold in one city neighborhood. The number 66513 appeared on 1,650 tickets in the lottery known as El Gordo (The Fat One), with each ticket holder winning 400,000 euros ($418,000). (AP Photo/Daniel Ochoa de Olza)
A Christian gives final touches to a mural of Santa Claus in preparation for Christmas celebrations in Karachi, Pakistan, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Shakil Adil)
A girls sells Santa caps and masks at a traffic intersection on the Christmas eve in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. Though the Hindus and Muslims comprise majority of the population in India, Christmas is a national holiday celebrated with much fanfare. (AP Photo/Yirmiyan Arthur)
Indians shop on the eve of Christmas in Hyderabad, India, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. Though the Hindus and Muslims comprise majority of the population in India, Christmas is a national holiday celebrated with much fanfare. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
People visit Mexico City’s main plaza, the Zocalo, decked out with neon Christmas decorations and an artificial tree standing 70 meters or about 230 feet high, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2016. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
Locals walk past a lit Christmas display at a park in Pasay, south of Manila, Philippines on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016. Christmas decorations adorn the streets and homes of many Filipinos as this predominantly Roman Catholic country prepare to celebrate the most important and beloved Christmas season. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Visitors take a selfie in front of the illuminated Christmas tree at Cathedral square in Vilnius, Lithuania, Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
Pope Francis holding a statue of Baby Jesus leaves at the end of the Christmas Eve Mass celebrated in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016. The pontiff urged Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus by thinking about the plight of today's children, bemoaning how they're forced to hide to escape bombs or flee in a migrant boat or how they’re prevented from being born entirely. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

WASHINGTON — Around 2 billion people around the world celebrate Christmas.

Traditionally known as a Christian holiday honoring the birth of Jesus Christ, the celebration evolved over two millennia. Now, Christmas is celebrated by both Christians and non-Christians, and a time to gather with family and friends.

While those celebrating the holiday in the United States may gather around the Christmas tree and open presents, people in other parts of the world have their own unique festivities.

See how the world has been celebrating the Christmas season in 2016.

 

 

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