TORONTO – There are the Christmas markets in England, Santa parades in South Korea and even Pancho Claus surrounded by children in Texas. The holidays are in full swing around the world.
Take a look at how different countries are celebrating Christmastime.
In downtown Seoul, South Korea, more than 1,000 volunteers clad in Santa Claus costumes throw their hats in the air as they gather to deliver gifts for the poor. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
In London, U.K., shoppers flock to the Winter Wonderland attraction in Hyde Park. The temporary festive theme park runs for over six weeks around Christmas and features an ice rink, rides and food and gift stalls. The attraction runs every day except Christmas until Jan. 5. (Oli Scarff/Getty Images)
Palestinian children dressed up as Santa Claus pose for a photograph at Manger Square, outside the Church of the Nativity, traditionally believed by Christians to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. (Majdi Mohammed/Getty Images)
In a Hong Kong shopping mall, visitors play with shredded paper and Christmas decorations during Christmas Eve. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Pancho Claus, Rudy Martinez, prepares to hands out gifts in a class during a visit to Knowlton Elementary School, in San Antonio. Pancho Claus, a Tex-Mex Santa borne from the Chicano civil rights movement in the late 1970s and early 1980s, is now an adored Christmas fixture in many Texas cities. (Eric Gay/AP photo)
Indian Christians hold candles ahead of Christmas in Ahmadabad, India, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2013. Though Hindus and Muslims comprise the majority of the population in India, Christmas is celebrated with much fanfare. (Ajit Solanki/AP Photo)
In Sydney, Australia, shoppers flock to stores as retailers experience boost in sales. Australian retailers experience some of their busiest trades in the days leading up to Christmas with at least $20 billion spent already. (Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
People sing Christmas carols at the fifth annual carol service being held inside the 13th century St Giles church in the village of Imber on December 21, 2013 on Salisbury Plain, England. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
A diver dressed in a Santa Claus costume swims with fish at Qingdao Underwater World on December 24, 2013 in Qingdao, China. (China Foto Press/Getty Images)
A close up of rowers dressed in Santa Claus costumes take part in the Christmas Regatta on the Grand Canal on December 21, 2013 in Venice, Italy. The Christmas Regatta, now in it’s fourth year, is an event organised by University of Ca Foscari. (Marco Secchi/Getty Images)
carmen.chai@globalnews.ca
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