From the surfing Santa of Indonesia to where it all began in Bethlehem... Christmas celebrations around the world

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Indonesia: A surfer dressed in a Santa costume surfs at Kuta beach on the resort island of Bali


Marvel at the diving Santa of South Korea, the candle tower of Germany and the cycling St Nick of the Philippines. All over the world, Christmas festivities are under way. From India to Australia, Spain to Thailand, Santa's got his hands full...


Lebanon: Children celebrate during their last day of school before the holidays in the southern port city of Sidon


India: Christian devotees pay their respects as part of the Christmas celebration at the illuminated St Paul's church in Amritsar


United States: Santa at play on the ski slopes of Colorado


Lebanon: A choir wearing cowboy hats in east Beirut


United States: Frosty the Snowman pilots his small boat down the Potomac River in Washington, DC


South Korea: Light displays in downtown Seoul


India: Children light candles in St Paul's church in Amritsar


India: Men dressed as Santa Claus visit slums in Allahabad


Spain: Children sit on the laps of men representing the Three Wise Men to ask for presents at Christmas, in Madrid


West Bank: A boy watches the parade outside the Church of the Nativity while Christians gather for Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem


Pakistan: A woman and child decorate a Christmas tree in a Catholic church in Peshawar


Iraq: Kurd children gather to greet Santa Claus in the city of Arbil


Philippines: A member of the Firefly Brigade, an organisation of cyclists, wears a Santa Claus costume as he talks to a woman with her baby in Quezon City


Bethlehem: Pilgrims pray inside the Grotto of the Church of Nativity


Germany: The former tower of the city wall decorated as a candle in Zell an der Mosel


South Korea: A diver swims with sardines at the Coex Aquarium in Seoul


Thailand: Schoolchildren in Ayutthaya watch a show featuring elephants dressed as Santa


United States: Santa waterskis down the Potomac River in Washington, DC


United States: Still on the Potomac, but this time with reindeer and boat-sleigh


Mummy, Daddy... where IS he?


Santa nav: Find out exactly where the great man is via Santa Tracker (www.noradsanta.org/)


Merry Christmas from Warwick, RI


source: dailymail

From the surfing Santa of Indonesia to where it all began in Bethlehem... Christmas celebrations around the world

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQU2ukgkK8kendofvid

[starttext]

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Indonesia: A surfer dressed in a Santa costume surfs at Kuta beach on the resort island of Bali


Marvel at the diving Santa of South Korea, the candle tower of Germany and the cycling St Nick of the Philippines. All over the world, Christmas festivities are under way. From India to Australia, Spain to Thailand, Santa's got his hands full...


Lebanon: Children celebrate during their last day of school before the holidays in the southern port city of Sidon


India: Christian devotees pay their respects as part of the Christmas celebration at the illuminated St Paul's church in Amritsar


United States: Santa at play on the ski slopes of Colorado


Lebanon: A choir wearing cowboy hats in east Beirut


United States: Frosty the Snowman pilots his small boat down the Potomac River in Washington, DC


South Korea: Light displays in downtown Seoul


India: Children light candles in St Paul's church in Amritsar


India: Men dressed as Santa Claus visit slums in Allahabad


Spain: Children sit on the laps of men representing the Three Wise Men to ask for presents at Christmas, in Madrid


West Bank: A boy watches the parade outside the Church of the Nativity while Christians gather for Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem


Pakistan: A woman and child decorate a Christmas tree in a Catholic church in Peshawar


Iraq: Kurd children gather to greet Santa Claus in the city of Arbil


Philippines: A member of the Firefly Brigade, an organisation of cyclists, wears a Santa Claus costume as he talks to a woman with her baby in Quezon City


Bethlehem: Pilgrims pray inside the Grotto of the Church of Nativity


Germany: The former tower of the city wall decorated as a candle in Zell an der Mosel


South Korea: A diver swims with sardines at the Coex Aquarium in Seoul


Thailand: Schoolchildren in Ayutthaya watch a show featuring elephants dressed as Santa


United States: Santa waterskis down the Potomac River in Washington, DC


United States: Still on the Potomac, but this time with reindeer and boat-sleigh


Mummy, Daddy... where IS he?


Santa nav: Find out exactly where the great man is via Santa Tracker (www.noradsanta.org/)


Merry Christmas from Warwick, RI


source: dailymail [endtext]

Christmas tree lighting,

People take photos of a Christmas snowman installation at a shopping mall in Jakarta on December 24, 2010. Indonesia's top Islamic body said on December 23 that Christmas decorations in malls, amusement centres and public places were 'excessive and provocative' in the Muslim-majority country. Nearly 90 percent of Indonesia's 234 million people are Muslim, most of whom practise a moderate version of the religion.




A woman (R) takes pictures of her friend in front of a Christmas tree at a shopping mall in Beijing on December 23, 2010. China on December 23 pledged its backing to eurozone countries amid an ongoing debt crisis and said Europe would be a 'major market' for investment of Beijing's massive foreign exchange reserves.




A man rides on the escalator next to a Christmas tree decoration at a shopping mall in Beijing on December 23, 2010. China on December 23 pledged its backing to eurozone countries amid an ongoing debt crisis and said Europe would be a 'major market' for investment of Beijing's massive foreign exchange reserves.




People shop in a shopping mall decorated with Christmas ornaments in Jakarta on December 24, 2010. Indonesia's top Islamic body said on December 23 that Christmas decorations in malls, amusement centres and public places were 'excessive and provocative' in the Muslim-majority country. Nearly 90 percent of Indonesia's 234 million people are Muslim, most of whom practise a moderate version of the religion.





People shop in a shopping mall decorated with a giant Christmas tree made of 59,327 mineral water bottles from visitors in Jakarta on December 24, 2010. Indonesia's top Islamic body said on December 23 that Christmas decorations in malls, amusement centres and public places were 'excessive and provocative' in the Muslim-majority country. Nearly 90 percent of Indonesia's 234 million people are Muslim, most of whom practise a moderate version of the religion.


source: Daylife
photo: Gettyimages

Christmas and New Year celebrations

The New Year tree is decorated for Christmas and New Year celebrations at Independence Square in the Ukrainian capital Kiev, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010. New Year is widely celebrated as the most popular holiday in Ukraine, with Orthodox Christmas on Jan. 7.



A man carries a shopping bag while walking in front of a Christmas tree at Union Square in San Francisco, Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2010.



A Christmas tree and ornaments decorate a park in the Beirut suburb of Sin el-Fil on December 22, 2010.



A Christmas tree is erected in front of Al-Amin Mosque in downtown Beirut on December 22, 2010.



People walk in front of a lit Christmas tree in Aristotelous Square in the northern Greek port city of Thessaloniki, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2010.


New Year Tree 2010 Kharkov, Ukraine



Christmas Tree @ Beirut Souks



Christmas Tree Union Square San Francisco 2010



An Aristotle square Christmas



Christmas lights at Disney world



source: AP photo, Gettyimages