Photos: World prepares for Christmas celebrations amid Covid-19

As the world struggles with coronavirus crisis, year-end festivities are around the corner. Governments around the world have imposed restrictions on public gatherings and travel in a bid to curb the spread of the virus while some individuals are coming up with innovative ideas to celebrate with their loved ones. A look at how the world is preparing for Christmas amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Updated on: Dec 23, 2020 12:18 PM IST

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A health worker collects a swab sample from triathlete Michael Kruse, dressed as Santa Claus, at the Helios Clinic in Schwerin, Germany on December 21. Germany is under a national lockdown from December 16 to January 10 due to a surge in coronavirus infections. In a bid to relax restrictions, from December 24-26, each household will be allowed to be visited by four family members above the age of 14. (AP/PTI)

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A Christmas scene created inside a closed restaurant in Athens, Greece on December 21. Apart from bookshops and hairdressers everything will remain shut throughout the Christmas period as part of Greece’s second Covid-19 lockdown. (Louisa Gouliamaki / AFP)

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A lottery seller celebrates after selling the first prize of Spain’s Christmas lottery draw El Gordo (the Fat One) in Vigo on December 22. Travel restrictions, curfews and public gathering limit Spain will differ from region to region and are also subject to change if infection rates rise. (AFP)

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A diver dressed as Santa Claus arranges a Christmas tree at an aquarium in Jakarta, Indonesia on December 22. The Indonesian government has banned celebrations and gatherings of more than five people in public areas and limited hours of service activities in wake of the coronavirus outbreak. (Antara Foto / Aditya Pradana Putra via REUTERS)

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A view of a near empty Regent Street as Christmas decorations hang between buildings, in London on December 22. Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson on December 21, cancelled Christmas for almost 18 million people across London and eastern and south-east England, following the rapid spread of the new variant of coronavirus. (Alberto Pezzali / AP)

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A statue of Santa Claus installed along a street ahead of Christmas celebrations in Kolkata, India on December 22. Restrictions in India also differ from region to region with the only Indian state Maharashtra imposing a night curfew from December 22 to January 5. (Swapan Mahapatra / PTI)

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Iria (R) and Joao de Castro, who have been building a nativity scene with over 900 pieces for over 80 years, are seen at their home in Santa Luzia, Brazil on December 21. Brazil ranks third in total Covid-19 cases recorded in a country. (Douglas Magno / AFP)

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People dressed in Santa Claus costumes play beach volleyball during an event organised by Tel Aviv Municipality ahead of Christmas, in Israel on December 22. (Ronen Zvulun / REUTERS)

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A view of the Eiffel tower seen from the rooftop of the Galeries Lafayette department store in Paris, France on December 21. A night curfew from 8pm to 6am is imposed in Frace until mid-January, apart from Christmas Eve. (Nathan Laine / Bloomberg)

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People ice skate around a Christmas tree in Kyiv, Ukraine on December 21. (Efrem Lukatsky / AP)

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A Christmas tree with names of the Beirut port explosion victims is seen near the damaged grain silo, in Beirut, Lebanon on December 22. On August 4, 2020, a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the port of Beirut exploded, causing at least 204 deaths and 6,500 injuries. (Mohamed Azakir / REUTERS)

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Volunteers spray disinfectant in the main hall of St Paul’s Parish ahead of Christmas celebrations in Karachi, Pakistan on December 22. (Fareed Khan / AP)

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Rebecca, Lara, Stella and Sarah Schwaderlapp play ‘Corona - the rush to the shops’ board game invented by Lara and Sarah during the Covid-19 lockdown, in Wiesbaden Biebrich, Germany on December 20. (Annkathrin Weiss / REUTERS)

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A person holds a sign reading “Welcome To Cali” at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in California, US on December 21. Travel and public gathering restrictions are also expected in the world’s hardest Covid-19 hit nation, the United States. (David Paul Morris / Bloomberg)

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A carpenter carves religious figurines from olive wood at a shop near the Church of the Nativity, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, Palestine on December 21. (Hazem Bader / AFP)

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A cyclist rides past a sidewalk stall with Christmas hats displayed for sale in Johannesburg, South Africa on December 21. (Denis Farrell / AP)

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A family observes the Christmas decorations as they pass through the Santa’s Village Drive-Thru in Guadalajara, Mexico on December 20. (Ulises Ruiz / AFP)

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A woman poses with a cat dressed in a Santa Claus outfit outside a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand on December 22. Stricter rules have been introduced in Bangkok for the New Year, with organisers of celebrations told to seek official permission to hold gatherings. (Lillian Suwanrumpha / AFP)

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A man dressed in a Santa Claus outfit rides on a standup paddle in Batroun, Lebanon on December 22. (Ibrahim Chalhoub / AFP)

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A man dresses as Santa Clause embraces a child at the Grace Food Pantry’s Christmas food and toy event in Everett, Massachusetts, US on December 19. (Joseph Prezioso / AFP)