The little town where Jesus is said to have been born is the site of the Church of the Nativity, which is ablaze with flags and decorations every Christmas. On Christmas Eve natives and visitors alike crowd the church’s doorways and stand on the roof to watch for the dramatic annual procession. Galloping horsemen and police mounted on Arabian horses lead the parade. They are followed by a solitary horseman carrying a cross and sitting astride a coal-black steed. Then come the churchmen and government officials. The procession solemnly enters the doors and places an ancient effigy of the Holy Child in the church. Deep winding stairs lead to a grotto where visitors find a silver star marking the site of the birth of Jesus.

Christian homes in Bethlehem are marked by a cross painted over the door and each home displays a homemade manger scene. A star is set up on a pole in the village square.

Christians in China celebrate by lighting their houses with beautiful paper lanterns and decorating their Christmas trees, which they call ‘Trees of Light,’ with paper chains, paper flowers, and paper lanterns. Chinese children hang muslin stockings and await a visit from Santa Claus, whom they call Dun Che Lao Ren (dwyn-chuh-lau-oh-run) which means ‘Christmas Old Man’.

Since the vast majority of the Chinese people are not Christian, the main winter festival in China is the Chinese New Year, which takes place toward the end of January. Now officially called the ‘Spring Festival,’ it is a time when children receive new clothing, eat luxurious meals, receive new toys, and enjoy firecracker displays. An important aspect of the New Year celebration is the worship of ancestors. Portraits and paintings of ancestors are brought out and hung in the main room of the home.

Iran, formerly Persia, is the land where the Three Wise Men are believed to have lived when Jesus was born. Today Christians in Iran begin fasting from animal products on December 1. This is called ‘Little Fast.’ ‘Big Fast’ occurs during Lent, the six weeks preceding Easter. After Church service of December 25 they enjoy Christmas dinner which they call ‘Little Feast.’ A traditional dish is a chicken stew called harasa. Gifts are generally not exchanged, but children receive new clothes which they wear proudly on Christmas Day.