Tis’ the season to be jolly! Take a look at how India and rest of the world prepped for Christmas 2023 – See Pictures

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Ho! Ho! Ho! Christmas Day is finally upon us, and with it, the whole world has come alive with bright lights. Originating from a Christian tradition and marking the birth of Jesus Christ, this festival is observed every year on December 25. The term ‘Christmas’ is rooted in Old English as Cristesmæsse, signifying the ‘mass of Christ.’ Here, we bring you pictures from around the world and India, showcasing the fervor with which people from all walks of life embrace the festival.

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People crowd in front of a decorated Christmas tree at a promenade on the eve of Christmas in Mumbai on December 24. (AP)

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People visit the illuminated Sacred Heart Cathedral on Christmas eve in New Delhi. (PTI)

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Locals dressed in Ukrainian traditional costumes attend a Christmas celebration in Lviv, Ukraine, on December 24. (Reuters)

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People pass by a symbolic Christmas tree made from used artillery shells and parts of rockets who were transported to the Ukrainian capital from the front line, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in central Kyiv, Ukraine on December 19. (Reuters)

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A joker poses in front of a Christmas tree at a season festival to celebrate Christmas Eve, in Al A’ali Mall, in Manama, Bahrain, on December 24. (Reuters)

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People take selfies with a man dressed as Santa Claus on the eve of Christmas in Mumbai on December 24. (AP)

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Pope Francis holds the pastoral staff as he presides over Christmas eve Mass, at St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. (AP)

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People take pictures of the decorated St. Joseph’s Cathedral on the eve of Christmas in Prayagraj. (AP)

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People walk and play at a park decorated for the New Year and Christmas festivities with an Orthodox Church in the background in Moscow on December 24. (AP)

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Christian Armenian priests pray in the Grotto, under the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed to be the birthplace of Jesus, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem. (AP)

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People light candles at the Sacred Heart Cathedral Church on the eve of Christmas, in New Delhi. (PTI)

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People crowd near an illuminated area of a promenade on the eve of Christmas in Mumbai. (AP)

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Revelers are about to release a sky lantern with wishes written on it, at Kotzia Square in central Athens, Greece. (AP)