Christmas falls on December 25 every year, celebrating the birth of Jesus and, for billions of people, family, generosity and light in the middle of winter. The countdown below ticks to the next Christmas morning, live.
The first recorded December 25 celebration of Christ's birth dates to Rome in 336 AD. Over the centuries it absorbed midwinter traditions — evergreens, feasting, gift-giving — and grew into both a major Christian feast and a global cultural holiday.
Gifts arrive from Santa Claus, Père Noël, or the Christkind depending on where you are; some countries open presents on Christmas Eve, others on the morning of the 25th. In Japan, fried chicken became a Christmas tradition; in Australia, it's celebrated in midsummer on the beach.