Show love and empathy, says Santa, as people mark Christmas worldwide
As Christmas celebrations were held around the world on Sunday, Santa Claus encouraged people to show love and empathy and to help those in need.
Speaking from his chamber in Rovaniemi, on the Arctic Circle, Santa said he was hoping Christmas would bring peace and happiness throughout the world.
Santa was also spotted scuba diving on Thursday (December 22) in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, enjoying some relaxation with an elfish helper before the upcoming holidays.
In Thailand, a group of mahouts, each dressed as Santa Claus, led a herd of elephants into a school on Friday (December 23) to distribute Christmas gifts to students.
Close to 2,000 thrilled students at the school in Ayutthaya province collected balloons, dolls, toys, and candies from the trunks of elephants, who later performed by dancing to music.
Meanwhile at the Vatican, Pope Francis on Saturday (December 24) led the world's Catholics into Christmas, saying in an apparent reference to the war in Ukraine and other conflicts, that the level of greed and hunger for power was such that some wanted to "consume even their neighbours".
Sitting at the side of the altar for most of the Mass, he wove his homily around the theme of greed and consumption on various levels, asking people to look beyond the consumerism that has "packaged" the feast, rediscover its meaning, and remember those suffering from war and poverty.
Christian worshippers packed a Christmas morning mass service on Sunday (December 25) in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, revered as the traditional birthplace of Jesus.
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa led the service attended by locals as well as Christian pilgrims from around the world.
Iraqis celebrating Christmas showed up for an eve mass at Baghdad's St.George Chaldean Church. They had one hope for the new year - being reunited with their families and friends who over decades of conflict had fled Iraq and the wider Middle East region in droves.
In Mosul, once the seat of Islamic State which brutalised minorities and Muslims alike, churches in previous years had remained vacant except for a handful of worshippers who felt safe enough to attend mass.
But on Saturday (December 24) pews were filled with worshippers, and mass continued outside with a procession well into the night.
In war-torn Ukraine, military chaplain and actors from a Kharkiv theatre visited Ukrainian servicemen in their tranches on the frontline on Saturday (December 24) near the Russian border in Kharkiv region.
In England, members of Britain's royal family attended a Christmas Day church service at Sandringham estate on Sunday (December 25).
This is the family's first Christmas without the late monarch Queen Elizabeth, who passed away in September.
King Charles, accompanied by Queen Consort Camilla and other royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, left the church and greeted crowds gathered outside.
Squirrel monkeys and pandas received colourful treats for Christmas at Beauval Zoo in France, as zookeepers gave them wrapped presents and Christmas tree-shaped bamboo sculptures.
In Australia, people celebrated Christmas in the sun, gathering on Bondi Beach and Coogee Beach.
