Christmas Day 2025 was captured in a series of poignant, festive, and powerful photographs from around the globe, curated by picture editors. The images tell a diverse story of celebration, tradition, protest, and adversity.
A Festive Moment for the Royals
In a heartwarming scene at Windsor Castle, the Princess of Wales and her daughter, Princess Charlotte, performed a special duet. They played Erland Cooper's Holm Sound for the Together at Christmas carol service, a moment shared by the Kensington Palace and captured by photographer Andrew Parsons.
Global Contrasts: From Celebration to Struggle
The day's imagery highlighted stark contrasts across different continents. In Gaza City, Palestine, Palestinian children staged a protest, demanding a safe educational environment to replace the tents serving as their classrooms after nearly two years of war that destroyed most schools.
Meanwhile, in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, the Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum hosted an interfaith event titled When Buddha Meets the Gods, bringing together representatives of major religions on 25 December.
British Traditions and International Scenes
In the UK, longstanding traditions continued. Swimmers braved the cold for the 162-year-old Peter Pan Cup in Hyde Park's Serpentine, while others took festive dips at Cullercoats Bay in North Tyneside and Blackroot Pool in Sutton Park, Birmingham.
Internationally, the day saw a major winter storm disrupt California, prompting evacuations. In Peshawar, Pakistan, police stood guard as the Christian minority attended Christmas Mass, and in North Korea, leader Kim Jong-un visited a nuclear-powered submarine construction site.
Other notable moments included Pope Leo presiding over Christmas Eve Mass at the Vatican, President Donald Trump participating in NORAD's Santa Tracker, and U2 frontman Bono busking on Grafton Street in Dublin for the homeless charity Simon Community on Christmas Eve.
