Merry Christmas!

Families around the world marked Christmas on Thursday with religious services, gift exchanges and gatherings shaped by local traditions. Churches held special masses celebrating the birth of Jesus, while city centers filled with lights, decorations and holiday music. In many countries, the holiday brought a pause to daily routines as businesses closed and travel increased. Officials urged caution on roads and at crowded events as winter weather affected parts of Europe and North America. For many, Christmas offered a moment of reflection, charity and time with loved ones, closing out a year marked by global challenges and change.