Across the world, people celebrated Christmas in different ways (Picture: AFP/Getty) Barcelona; India; Sydney
From violent clashes with police to a sun-soaked dip in a warm sea, these pictures from around the world show there’s no one way to celebrate Christmas.
Police tackled demonstrators in Hong Kong with tear gas and pepper spray today after a fresh round of clashes kicked off with protesters throwing petrol bombs on Christmas Eve.
Australia’s Bondi Beach saw more laid-back scenes as temperatures hovered around 26C, although firefighters elsewhere spent Christmas Day trying to contain bushfires.
Many are angry with the prime minister for taking a holiday in the middle of the country’s wildfire crisis.
A number of families in South Africa spend the night camping in huge tents, while in Madagascar a Christmas pudding is typically made with lychees.
Meanwhile, Catholics in every corner of the world tune into Pope Francis’ Urbi et Orbi message broadcast from the Vatican.
A Christian faithful of the Legio Maria African Mission church yawns while attending a Christmas eve vigil mass in Nairobi, Kenya (Picture: REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya)
Performers in festive costumes cheer on visitors during the Disney Christmas Stories parade held at Tokyo Disneyland (Picture: AP Photo/Andy Wong)
The acting Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa leads a Christmas midnight mass in the Church of the Nativity, in Bethlehem in the West Bank (Picture: MUSSA ISSA QAWASMA / POOL)
A mural of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison who has been criticised for his response to the wildfire crisis (Picture: EPA/STEVEN SAPHORE AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT)
Sunkissed swimmers enjoy Christmas day on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia (Picture: EPA/STEVEN SAPHORE AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT)
Hong Kong residents wipe off tear gas as police confront protesters on Christmas Eve in Hong Kong (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Participants in Christmas costume jump into the water during the 110th edition of the ‘Copa Nadal’ (Christmas Cup) swimming competition in Barcelona (Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP) (Photo by JOSEP LAGO/AFP via Getty Images)
People bring candles on their relatives graves at Christmas day, as part of a tradition in Finland (Picture: AFP)
Children slide down an ice-covered slope in Omsk, Russia (Picture: Reuters)
Swimmers take part in the traditional Gijon Christmas swimming crossing event at the sports port in Gijon, northern Spain (Picture: EPA)
A group of people work out at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia (Picture: Getty Images)
A person dressed as Father Frost performs at the Moscow Mayor’s Christmas event for children (Picture: Anton Novoderezhkin/TASS)
Children dressed as Santa Claus light candles on Christmas Day at a church in Amritsar, India (Picture: AFP)
