Christmas

Locked down by coronavirus at their busiest time of year, fir tree farmers in Greece are hoping for a Christmas miracle to salvage a season all but lost.

A nationwide lockdown has meant thousands of Christmas trees may not get to market in time in a blow to farmers in an area of northern Greece where fir tree sales are their only livelihood.

Leaders of Germany's 16 federal states plan to allow gatherings of up to 10 people over Christmas and New Year, offering some relaxation of coronavirus restrictions to let families and friends celebrate together.

"Home Alone", one of the blockbusters of all time which all TVs show ad nauseam for Christmas will probably become prophetic this year. At least if we decide to stick to the recommendations of WHO and opt for seeing in Christmas at a virtual home party.

Montenegro's General Prosecutors Office has launched an investigation into the leak of a telephone conversation between what appeared to be two senior police officers on January 6, in which one said Serbian Orthodox Church believers rallying over Christmas would "get their asses kicked if they make trouble during the church gathering".

The Athens Open-Air Film Festival is launching its Xmas edition this year as part of the Christmas in Athens program coordinated by the Greek capital's municipal authority. On the last weekend of December, viewers are invited to snuggle up under blankets and watch classic family movies on a big screen in the open air with a view of the Acropolis in the background.

British street artist Banksy has brought a somber Christmas spirit to a hotel he founded in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, with a nativity scene evoking the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

He refused a reward from its owner "because it was Christmas," police in Krefeld wrote.

A 63-year-old man in Germany forgot a backpack full of gifts and 16,000 euros in cash, according to AFP and BGNES.

Do you know which EU Member States supply the EU's Christmas goodies?

Take a look at Eurostat's festive-themed infographic below, which illustrates the top intra-EU exporters of a selection of Christmas goods below:

Infographic Source: Eurostat

On December 25 we celebrate Christmas, also known as Nativity of Jesus, Bozhik or Bozhich. This is one of the greatest church holidays in the Christian world.

Today's name day celebrates everyone who bears the names -

U.S. President Donald Trump on Dec. 24 brushed off North Korea's warning of a "Christmas gift," saying the United States would "deal with it very successfully," amid U.S. concerns that Pyongyang might be preparing a long-range missile test.