Jerusalem – The Jerusalem’s Patriarch Fouad Twal carries a statuette of baby Jesus during the Christmas midnight mass at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem on the West Bank.

London – St Paul’s Choir prepare for Christmas mass.

Mexico – The Christmas tree bears the names and pictures of the 43 trainee teachers who went missing near Guerrero in September.

Bulgaria – A worshipper lights a candle at the St Alexander Nevski Cathedral in Sofia.

Syria – A Christmas tree springs up from the rubble with a message of hope for the heavily-damaged Hamedieh neighbourhood of Homs.

Tokyo – Walking through the Christmas lights at Tokyo Dome Metropolis.

Beijing – An alpaca entices shoppers in China, the land where Christmas was once banned.

Croatia – The Salaj family’s 1.5 million Christmas lights in Croatia have attracted the attention of their country.

Cyprus – A migrant vendor in a Santa suit sells balloons on a side road in Nicosia.

France – A crazy Christmas tradition in freezing Nice, France, where 350 swimmers take place in a freezing swim.