Celebrating Christmas Around the World

December 1, 2025
ACSI / About ACSI / View All Stories / Story

As Christmas approaches, we reached out to our ACSI leaders across the globe and asked them to tell us how their regions celebrate this joyous season. The traditions they shared rooted in faith, culture, and community paint a rich picture of how Christians everywhere honor the miracle of Christ’s birth. Enjoy this look at Christmas around the world! 

 

Hungary (Laci Demeter, Divisional Director for ACSI Europe)

 

Christmas in Hungary is deeply rooted in faith and family, with Advent and Christmas Eve—Szenteste—at the heart of the celebration. Throughout Advent, families gather to light candles and prepare their homes and hearts for Christ’s birth. On December 6, children eagerly await a visit from St. Nicholas (Mikulás), who leaves small gifts and treats.

 

The Christmas tree is traditionally decorated on December 24, often adorned with lights and szaloncukor, the iconic chocolate-covered fondant candy. Families sing cherished carols such as “Mennyből az angyal,” “Pásztorok, pásztorok,” and “Silent Night.”

 

Festive meals might include warm fish soup (halászlé) or stuffed cabbage, followed by slices of bejgli filled with walnut or poppy seed. Many families also attend church services or enjoy nativity plays (betlehemezés), embracing the season as a holy and joy-filled time centered on Christ’s birth and togetherness.

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Mexico (Miguel Plascencia, Educational Advisor for ACSI Latin America)

 

For many evangelical churches and families in Mexico, Christmas—especially Christmas Eve—is a deeply spiritual celebration focused on honoring the birth of Jesus as Savior. Rather than centering on cultural traditions, the emphasis is placed on worship, gratitude, and the message of salvation. The evening typically begins with a special church service filled with Christmas carols, Scripture readings, a sermon on the Incarnation, and often a Christmas play presented by children or youth.

 

After the service, families gather around the table for a joyful Christmas Eve meal. Traditional dishes may include turkey, cod, pozole, or romeritos, accompanied by warm ponche and sweet buñuelos.

 

Evangelical families thoughtfully choose not to participate in Las Posadas, use piñatas, or display nativity scenes due to their symbolic origins. Instead, they celebrate with Christmas trees and focus on Christ-centered practices. Gifts are exchanged after dinner as an expression of God’s generous gift in Christ and as a way to foster love and unity within the family.

 

For evangelical Christians in Mexico, Christmas Eve is a reverent, worship-filled, and family-centered celebration that keeps Christ at the heart of every tradition.

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Guatemala (Estuardo Salazar, Divisional Director for ACSI Latin America)

 

In Guatemala, Christmas is full of vibrant and colorful traditions. Homes are decorated with nativity scenes and bright lights, while fireworks burst across the sky at midnight on Christmas Eve. Families enjoy traditional foods including corn and pork tamales and ponche de frutas (hot fruit punch). At midnight, loved ones exchange hugs, open gifts, and share a festive meal together. The season is filled with church events, office celebrations, and family gatherings.

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Brazil (Mauro Meister, National Director for Brazil)

 

In Brazil, Christmas takes place in the summertime and is often celebrated outdoors. Families gather around festive tables with a blend of global and local dishes—roast turkey, African-influenced farofa, and Italian panettone. Homes shine with colorful lights and nativity scenes, and churches overflow with music celebrating Christ’s birth. At midnight, gifts are exchanged, and joy is shared. Faith and festivity come together, reminding Brazilians that Christ’s coming is the true meaning behind the celebration.

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Dominican Republic (Karen Ovalles, Regional Director of Caribbean Region)

 

Christmas in the Dominican Republic is joyful and deeply family centered. Homes glow with lights, Christmas trees, and nacimientos (nativity scenes), while traditional carols, known as Aguinaldos, fill the season with music. Families gather for large dinners featuring roast pork (lechón asado), moro de guandules, and pasteles en hoja. Churches hold vibrant services, and many view Christmas as both a spiritual and festive time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The celebration often continues through January 6 for Día de los Reyes (Three Kings’ Day).

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South Asia (Mark)

 

From early November, churches and schools begin preparing for Christmas with decorations, choirs, and the aroma of baked treats. Many families refresh and redecorate the interior of their homes each year in preparation for Christmas. Christmas trees are usually set up during the final week leading up to the holiday, and Christian households proudly display a lit paper star outside as a symbol of Christ’s birth.

 

Gifts often take the form of new clothes, with every family member wearing a new outfit to church on Christmas Day, followed by a large family lunch.

 

In past decades, Christmas caroling was a lively tradition, with choirs traveling in vans late into the night, singing at homes and sharing cake and coffee. Schools held grand Christmas events with nativity plays involving children of all backgrounds. Christmas Eve midnight services were once a major part of the celebration, though these have become more low-key due to increased persecution.