Christmas in Nepal – Celebration 2024/2025

Festivals are the most important and exciting part of our lives. All religions have their way of celebrating the festival. Likewise, Hindus celebrate Dashain and Tihar as their main festivals, Muslims celebrate Eid as their main festivals, and Christians celebrate it as their main festival.

Nepal is a secular state that celebrates all these small and big festivals with the same excitement and energy. As most of the country’s population is Hindu, there has not been any dispute over the name of the religion in Nepal. We all respect and celebrate each other’s festivals, including Christmas, in Nepal. Nepal was declared a secular state in 2007.

Since then, Christmas has been celebrated as one of the national festivals in Nepal. All over Nepal, Christmas is marked by the colorful decorating of Christmas trees and giving gifts. All the shops and malls in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Pokhara are decorated with trees, lights, and artificial snowmen.

The government also organized different social programs for this festival. Many churches are located throughout the country, and people visit them during Christmas.

Christmas in Nepal is celebrated in traditional ways. People visit the church, give feasts, and exchange gifts. For a few years, people have also fed homeless people on Christmas. In Nepal, Christmas falls on December 25. Every year, people attend music shows, concerts, and Christmas programs. They also attend and host parties during this festival.

How is Christmas celebrated in Nepal?

Christmas is a festival of light and snow. Christmas is celebrated all over Nepal with lots of excitement and energy. However, the number of people following this religion is slightly fewer than the number of followers who follow other faiths.

Christmas is also considered a national festival in Nepal. Shopping for Christmas begins at the start of December. Thamel is a place that you must visit during Christmas. The entire Thamel bazaar is decorated with lights and Christmas trees everywhere during the Christmas festival. Thamel has different parties, concerts, and programs during this festival. People greet everyone and wish for good health and well-being for everyone.

On Christmas, our president, Bidhya Devi Bhandari, and our prime minister, KP Sharma Oli, express their greeting of good health, prosperity, peace, and happiness to all the country’s citizens and Christians. Children are primarily seen as more excited for Christmas as they will get gifts and Santa Claus.

Unlike other festivals in Nepal, you can eat non-vegetarian food at Christmas. Roasted chicken, vegetable salad, and other Nepali foods, along with turkey, pumpkin pies, and Christmas puddings, are primarily made in a feast during this festival. Many restaurants offer discounts during this time of the year.

It would help to visit churches during Christmas as they are decorated most beautifully. Christmas trees are decorated beautifully with bells, stars, reindeer, gift boxes, and many other decorations, and the twinkling stars add more beauty to the decorations. People sing and dance in the church and thank Jesus for giving them life. Typically, Christian people host parties or feasts in their houses.

Merry Christmas in Nepal

Christmas is celebrated globally on the birthday of Jesus Christ. They celebrate this day to remember the sacrifice made by Jesus on earth. However, the exact day Jesus Christ was born is unknown. However, it is said that he was born around 7 BC during the 4th century. Before this time, people used to worship and celebrate this day secretly. Christmas was officially celebrated on December 25 by the Western church. Later, the Eastern countries also started celebrating Christmas on the same day.

In the 4th century, before the birth of Jesus Christ, people celebrated light during mid-winter. They observed that the worst part of the year, winter, had ended, and they could see the sun and feel warm. People used to worship different gods for the summer; Germans used to thank and honor Oden, and Romans would worship Saturn, also known as the God of agriculture. But after the birth of Jesus Christ, people started celebrating Christmas.

The History Behind the Christmas Celebration

Years ago, prophets had promised Jewish people of the Western region that God would give them a savior and teacher to teach them about the importance of life. Now, after the birth of Jesus, people have started to believe that Jesus Christ was the savior and teacher and that God had God. Jesus’s mother was a young lady who was engaged and got pregnant.

For some reason, the engagement could not turn into a marriage. Jesus’ father’s name was Joseph, and he was kind of upset that his fiancé was pregnant. Then, an angel came to him and told him that the baby would be holy and that he had to take good care of it.

According to the Roman ruler, all the people had to return to their homes because of the tax. Joseph took his wife to the stable, and his wife had a baby named Jesus Christ at the same stable. On the same night, there were two visitors. The first visitors were shepherds in the fields.

They would find a newborn king lying in an animal feed bin. The next visitor was a wise man who had recently seen a new star in the sky and followed it until he found the stable where Jesus was born. So, this is how Jesus was born. Now, Christmas is celebrated to remember these incidents of Jesus Christ. Every year, December 25, is the birth of Jesus Christ.

Chrismas started with the king of Rome, Constantine.

The king of Rome, Constantine, started the official celebration of Christmas, and in Nepal, it has been celebrated since 2007 after Nepal was declared a secular state. During the rule of arenas in 1950, BS Nepal Christians went to India, as celebrating Christmas was not allowed in Nepal. But after the Rana rule collapsed, Christians returned to Nepal.

After that, many international agencies, such as the United Mission to Nepal and the International Nepal Fellowship, were established in Nepal. Along with these agencies, Christianity started to increase in Nepal. After that, churches began to be built slowly.

Many national and international organizations have provided relief and donations to homeless and older adults through churches. Today, the maximum number of churches has served Nepal as a shelter for the elderly and homeless. They also provide free education. Nowadays, people are more attracted to Christianity.

Santa clause in Merry Christmas

Santa Claus is one of the most exciting things about Christmas. Years ago, in Turkey, there was a famous monk named St. Nicholas. He was renowned for the purity and kindness he showed to all the people. He belonged to a wealthy family. Then, he traveled to the countryside and gave all his wealth to the poor and sick. Once, he saved three poor girls whose fathers were sold into slavery and prostitution.

Then, he traveled to many places. He saved thousands of children from child labor and gave them a good life. Because of his kind habit, he is known as Santa Claus worldwide. From then on, every child waits for a gift from Santa Claus during Christmas. Children are fond of Santa Claus. Many parents dress up as Santa Claus and give their children gifts during Christmas.

Christmas Song

Jingle Bells

James Pierpont – 1857

Dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh
Over the fields we go, laughing all the way;
Bells on bob-tail ring, making spirits bright
What fun it is to ride and sing a sleighing song tonight

Chorus
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way!
O, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells, Jingle all the way!
O, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh

A day or two ago, I thought I’d take a ride
And soon Miss Fanny Bright Was seated by my side;
The horse was lean and lank; misfortune seemed his lot;
He got into a drifted bank, and we got upset
(Chorus)

A day or two ago, the story I must tell
I went out on the snow, and on my back, I fell;
A gent was riding by in a one-horse open sleigh
He laughed as there I was, sprawling lie, but quickly drove away
(Chorus)

Now the ground is white, go it while you’re young
Take the girls tonight and sing this sleighing song;
Just get a bob-tailed bay, two-forty as his speed
Hitch him to an open sleigh and crack! You’ll take the lead
(Chorus)

International Christmas in Kathmandu, Nepal

The Christmas season in Kathmandu is an enjoyable and exciting time. As Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal, there are many big malls and shops in Kathmandu. You can celebrate your best Christmas in Kathmandu. Thamel is the best place to spend your Christmas. All the shops in Thamel are decorated with lights. You can see Christmas trees decorated with lights and glitter in every shop. There is also an artificial snowman all around the road in Thamel.

Deforestation is not allowed nowadays, but different artificial trees are environmentally friendly for celebrating Christmas. The artificial trees can be stored for further use during Christmas. Most people in Kathmandu wear the famous Santa cap and give the Christmas vibe. In the Kathmandu restaurant, you can get Christmas special meals like chicken, vegetable salad, and other Nepali foods, along with turkey, pumpkin pies, and Christmas puddings.

Many restaurants give customers discounts, especially tourists, during this time of year. There are also many churches in Kathmandu that you can visit. People celebrate Christmas in churches by singing, dancing, and performing the different acts of Jesus Christ.

People in the church tell many Christmas-related stories. Santa Claus will be giving presents to all the children in the church. Different concerts and programs are held in other parts of the country on Christmas. Although Nepali people follow Hinduism and celebrate the Hindu New Year, we also celebrate the English New Year with the same enthusiasm.

People go to clubs and parties to celebrate New Year and Christmas. Kathmandu is the main point where typical tourists typically spend Christmas and New Year.

Christmas 2025/2026

Christmas is an international festival. People almost around the country celebrate Christmas—every year, Christmas in Nepal. People gather together during this festival and celebrate it with family and friends. But this year, 2020, during the pandemic, many of us are in lockdown. The risk of coronavirus is all around the world. The world as a whole is suffering from this virus. Many people around the world have lost their lives due to this disease.

On the other hand, we should also celebrate our festival and save our culture. During this crucial time, we must be careful while celebrating the festival. The government has prohibited public gatherings and celebrating festivals.

But during this time for Christmas in Nepal, we must celebrate the festival cautiously. Thanks to invention and technology, there have been many virtual ways of celebrating festivals. Video conferences with the family will keep you close to your home once during this festive season. Also, many online stores provide a safe delivery system. You can send gifts and food to your family or friends via online stores.

 Things to do during Christmas in Nepal

Even though Christmas is not a traditional Nepalese event, we celebrate it to show our respect for religion. Additionally, 1.41% of the population in Nepal is Christian. The Nepali government considers this auspicious day a national holiday.

Compared to WWI, Christmas is not as joyful and widely celebrated. Nevertheless, seeing the celebrations around Christmas in Nepal is heartwarming and overwhelming, given the prominence of other religions in the nation. Similarly, you might spend Christmas in Nepal, from completing adventurous hikes to relaxing around busy cities.

Although there are fewer Christmas celebrations in Nepal than in other nations with a Christian majority, there are still plenty of different things to do there.

Here are some suggestions for things to do in Nepal should you travel there during the holiday season:

Explore Thamel

Visit Kathmandu’s Thamel, the city’s central district. This area usually has many Christmas lights and decorations. Since it is a popular tourist destination, concerts and other events generally happen there, and restaurants will take the opportunity to provide Christmas fare to travelers in need.

Asan Local Market

The Asan local street market is the place to go in Kathmandu for those who enjoy shopping. A market with a long trading history offers a wide range of goods to purchase at meager costs, from garments to condiments.

Kathmandu and Pokhara nightclubs

If you want to spend time outside at night, both Kathmandu and Pokhara have many nightclubs and pubs where you can go to a party or join Christmas celebrations if they are being held. Several programs were planned just for Christmas at those bars. You are welcome to go there and participate in dancing and listening to good music.

Walking past Pokhara Lake

Pokhara’s lakeside is well known to both locals and tourists. People may enjoy a nice walk in the evening with a lovely view of the Christmas decorations along Pokhara’s lakefront.

A hundred kilometers or more West of Kathmandu, the lakeside city of Pokhara hosts huge Christmas celebrations. However, many people visit Pokhara for enjoyable pursuits that aren’t necessarily related to the holiday season, such as paragliding, boating on Lake Phewa, biking, bungee jumping, and hiking.

Trekking

Trekking in the Himalayas appears to be the most popular recreation in this country of snow-capped mountains. Nepal is highly recognized for its trekking trails, which take you to some of the world’s most stunning and well-known mountains. If you wanted an exciting Christmas in Nepal, you could walk into the hills and experience being in the snow.

The Annapurna Base Camp, one of Nepal’s primary trekking hubs, is also quite popular. From there, you may go on excursions that take you through various imposing mountain ranges, through local settlements, and among the native animals. Treks are still possible in the winter, but you’ll need to be prepared to pack a sleeping bag and occasionally set up camp on the ground.

The two-week journey from Everest Base Camp, located at the base of the highest mountain in the world, is another trekking adventure that some people may be interested in. This trip is also available in the winter. You are taken to breathtaking viewing places close to Mount Everest and the renowned Tengboche Monastery at the mountain’s base.

Mountain biking

Nepal is a nation of variations, with suitable mountain biking terrain to satisfy any mountain biker’s needs. For those who love mountain riding, it is the ideal location. The Upper Mustang and Annapurna regions and the area around Pokhara are all included in Nepal’s mountain biking excursions. Riders worldwide are drawn to Nepal, which promotes itself as a mountain-riding destination. Rentable mountain bikes are offered in Nepal for those who cannot buy them.

Chitwan National Park

Visit Chitwan National Park, Nepal’s most significant natural preserve. Sauraha village is close to the park (conservation area). The climate is consistently warm, and you may visit this area to observe one-horned rhinoceroses, Bengal tigers, and other protected endangered animals. Numerous tourists also embark on elephant rides, animal safaris, boat trips down the Rapti River, and excursions to the traditional Tharu communities.

Visit Kathmandu’s and Pokhara’s churches.

No Christmas Eve is complete without visiting the midnight church mass, and on Christmas Day, people assemble in Kathmandu and Pokhara at the midnight masses. You may spend some time and take it easy in the divine and serene environment. Even more individuals from abroad donate to or distribute presents to the church’s young members. This is the best way to spread kindness and happiness among people.

 Food to try during Christmas in Nepal

Nepalese cuisine has its distinctive flavors and also involves a combination of other Asian cuisines. Momos, which are Tibetan-style dumplings packed with meat and spices, are particularly popular. Roti, rice, and dal are three major food items that are derived from Indian cuisine and are commonly eaten as regular meals by Nepalese people. In Nepal, Chinese and Indian cuisines are trendy, and more recently, western foods have begun to appear on Nepalese menus.

Western cuisine has also influenced the type of food prepared at Christmas in Nepal. A combination of Nepalese and Western cuisines is designed during this season. Cakes are also a typical preparation; some locations hold cake-mixing rituals as part of Christmas.

In addition, there is a wide variety of mouthwatering street food to try. Moreover, as cows are respected in Nepal and are not eaten, it is best to avoid bringing up beef because you risk offending someone.

Although there are many different foods, we still advise eating traditional Nepali food today. Besides, you can taste Newari cuisine and tour traditional local places. One of Nepal’s ethnic groups, the Newari, has a diverse culture, customs, and cuisine. If you like, you may order an entire meal platter, food options, and local alcohol. In addition, various foods such as Sel Roti, Dal Bhat Tarkari, Thukpa, Momos, and Yomari are usually prepared around Christmas in Nepal.

How Christmas is celebrated in Nepal

In Nepal, the government began celebrating Christmas Day as a national holiday in 2063 BS (2006). For the next 11 years, the government proclaimed Christmas Day a national holiday. In actuality, the government acknowledges dozens of holidays in Nepal. So, in 2016, the status of Christmas as a public holiday was removed due to the excessive number of days off.

However, almost four million Christians in Nepal will continue celebrating even without official recognition. Even though it is not a national holiday, there is still celebration at the offices, schools, markets, and churches on this day. Many Nepali Christians attend special church services on Christmas Eve at midnight and maybe on Christmas Day. Christmas is celebrated on December 25 in Nepal, and many of its rituals were “imported” from the West.

Christians will celebrate Christmas with friends and family, attend parties, exchange gifts, and decorate their houses with Christmas trees and lights. The tree ornaments will include bells, stars, reindeer, and miniature versions of wrapped presents. Most of the Christmas shopping starts in early December.

Those celebrating Christmas will visit their friends’ homes on Christmas morning to wish them a good Christmas. Similarly, the family and guests will eat Christmas dinner together in the evening.

In addition, Christmas is often celebrated in Nepal by visiting churches on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The Christians even hosted a Christmas party at their residence and invited their loved ones. They pray to God, sing carols, and even dance to the rhythm as part of their celebration. Then, they offer their guests a selection of delicious foods and wish them a happy Christmas.

Similarly, a few public locations now have decorations, which hasn’t happened in the last several years. Christmas in Nepal is being observed festively because of the influence of tourism.

Christmas is an essential festival for those in Nepal who practice Christianity and believe in a higher power. They travel to their holy places and pray to their gods for happiness and optimism to enter their lives and the world.

FAQs

When does Christmas fall in Nepal?

Nepal observes the December 25th date of Christmas, and many of its Christmas traditions are “imported” from the West. Believers will attend Christmas parties with friends and family, exchange presents, and decorate their homes with Christmas lights and trees.

Is there a Christmas holiday in Nepal?

Christmas is one of the celebrations recognized in Nepal; however, the government observes no official holiday. Although a national holiday has existed since 2006, it only lasted 11 years.

Why is Christmas celebrated in Nepal?

It makes us feel happy about who we are and what we have accomplished. We reinforce something significant to us when we rejoice. Without it, we merely preserve the status quo and, to be honest, enjoy ourselves much less.