Christmas Day is recognized as a public holiday in Iraq, a majority Muslim country with a small Christian population. Iraqi Christians, making up only about 1% of the total population, celebrate this day with keen enthusiasm and spirituality. Despite the challenges and upheavals they face, their Christmas festivities are filled with prayers, faith, and a sense of community. Midnight mass is a key part of the Christmas traditions in Iraq, as well as the preparation and sharing of special meals.
Iraq's Christmas celebrations exhibit some unique customs that may be different from Western practices. An interesting tradition in Iraq is the lighting of bonfires made out of dried thorns. The burning of thorns is symbolic with the belief that their burning away into ashes signifies the burning away of hatred and sins from the past year. The way the fire and thorns burn is predicted to foretell the fortunes of the household in the coming year.
Contrary to the traditional setting of a decorated Christmas tree, in some Iraqi households, children would often gather under a decorated palm tree, while elders would read out nativity stories. The Christmas season serves as a light of hope and a beacon of resilience for Christian families in Iraq, and when the day finally arrives, it becomes a community celebration — not just for Christians but for Iraqi people of all faiths. Despite the trials that the country has had to face over the years, Christmas in Iraq manifests the culture's rich history and its people's unyielding spirit.