celebrating xmas around the globe

PowerPoint Show by Andrew

As Christmas Day was ushered in around the globe, thousands gathered at churches to pay their respects and pray.

Groups of friends and families were spotted enjoying the sun and taking selfies in Australia on Christmas morning.

Pope Francis celebrated Christmas Eve Mass in St Peter's Basilica with hundreds of children and worshippers.

In Taiwan, residents came together for a carol concert in New Taipei city while in New York temperatures hit 23C

In Germany, members of the Berlin Seals swimming club stripped down to enjoy a festive dip in Lake Orankesee in the German capital. 

Most of the club members wore festive outfits as they celebrated Christmas with a dip in the lake's freezing waters this morning. 

Two swimmers brave the freezing waters as they take part in their traditional Christmas Day swim in Lake Orankesee, Berlin, earlier today. 

A man dressed as a clown jumps into the water at the start of the Nadal Cup swimming event at the Port of Barcelona in Spain. 

A group of participants stand arm in arm wearing Santa hats before jumping into the freezing water of Barcelona's old harbor. 

The occasion looked much less joyous in The Jungle II, a migrant camp in Calais, France, were Christians were seen quietly preying to pictures of Jesus and other religious figures in a makeshift church. 

One man kneels on the floor beside what seems to be an altar of sorts, preying before a picture of Jesus on the day of his birth. 

An Iraqi guard stands guard outside an Anglican Church in Baghdad, where Christians were quietly celebrating Christmas due to unrest in the country. 

Inside the church worshippers sang and prayed as they celebrated the birth of Christ at the Anglican Church in Baghdad today. 

An Iraqi girl claps along to the music as her Christian family attend a Christmas Day service at a church in Baghdad this morning. 

A Greek Orthodox priest leads Palestinian altar boys as they conduct a Christmas Day service at St George Orthodox Church in the West Bank. 

The priest kneels down to pray at the church which is one of the oldest Christian holy places in the world to celebrate Christmas. 

A Palestinian Christian man makes his way to church to attend the service at St George Church in the West Bank. 

The Queen joined family members including Prince William and Kate, for a private family church service near their royal estate at Sandringham.

Earlier today, her annual Christmas address was aired, something watched by millions of Britons every year on December 25, in which she talked about light triumphing over darkness. 

It was business as usual for NATO troops stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan but one did get into the Christmas spirit by wearing a Santa hat. 

NATO troops were treated to a selection of Christmas cakes and cookies. 

Groups of girls took to Bondi beach in bikinis to top up their tans and grab a quick selfie in Australia as Christmas celebrations got underway. 

Residents - including this group of five - were spotted enjoying the surf and sun as temperatures hit 23C in Australia on Christmas morning. 

Ron Nachem from Bondi in Australia soaked up the morning sunshine on Christmas Day in Sydney. 

Pope Francis appeared in front of tens of thousands of Catholics who gathered to see His Holiness's annual Christmas address in Vatican City. 

The Pope, wearing his famous white robes, appeared on the balcony to 40,000 people in St Peter's Basilica, and talked of peace in a world torn apart by 'brutal acts of terrorism'. 

Hundreds of residents sing a Christmas song and clutch torches as they wear Santa hats on Christmas Eve at a park in New Taipei city. 

An unusual 3D Christmas tree, decorated electronically with green, blue and pink presents, stands in the center of New Taipei city in Taiwan. 

It was too much excitement for one little boy in Taiwan, who was pictured yawning during one of the Christmas numbers in New Taipei city. 

Fake snow rains down on people celebrating Christmas in Kathmandu, Nepal as one couple pose for a selfie on their phone. 

A young girl can't hide her delight at the fake snow in Nepal. The Nepalese Government officially started to mark Christmas with a national holiday after the country became a Republic in May 2008. 

Two young women pose with Santa Claus during an event in Kathmandu where they have been celebrating Christmas Day. 

The basilica's bells rang at the start of Thursday's late-night ceremony, which is the Pope's only public Mass for Christmas. 

Hymns were played on trumpets as Pope Francis celebrated the birth of baby Jesus ahead of Christmas Day. 

An Iranian couple take a selfie in front of a Christmas display, which includes an inflatable Santa and chimney, in central Tehran on Christmas Eve. 

Joggers dressed in shorts and T-shirts run in Brooklyn Bridge Park, New York, on Christmas Eve as temperatures hit more than 23C. 

The Chinese capital Beijing woke up to a White Christmas but rather than snow, thick smog blanketed the city. 

People are forced to wear face masks as they walk through the streets of Beijing after smog blanketed the city on Christmas Day. 

Ministers gather around outside the All Saints Cathedral in Kenya's capital Nairobi to celebrate Christmas mass in the country.