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Christmas
Papua New Guinea

Christmas 2024, 2025 and 2026 in Papua New Guinea

Christmas in Papua New Guinea is celebrated with a public holiday every 25 December, as it is in a majority of countries around the world. This Christian festivity commemorates the birth of Jesus, and is part of a 22-28 day season in the Christian calendar known as Advent.

YearDateDayHoliday
202425 DecWedChristmas Day
202525 DecThuChristmas Day
202625 DecFriChristmas Day
202725 DecSatChristmas Day
Please scroll down to end of page for previous years' dates.

Papua New Guinea has hundreds of ethnolinguistic groups living in it and is one of the most diverse places on Earth, and yet, 95 percent of the population is Christian. Although there are many different denominations represented in Papua New Guinea, the vast majority of Christians here celebrate 25 December as the birthday of Jesus the Messiah.

In the highland and rural regions of Papua New Guinea, Christmas is likely to be celebrated in a much simpler, down-to-earth way. Simple church services in small villages and family or village-wide feasts are the norm. But in Port Moresby, the capital, and other major cities, you are more likely to run into Santa Claus, shops full of busy shoppers on Christmas Eve, and decorated homes, businesses, and public buildings.

Christmas in Papua New Guinea is partly westernised, but not too badly commercialised overall. You will find both similarities and striking dissimilarities between the way the population celebrates compared to the rest of the Christian world.

Previous Years

YearDateDayHoliday
202325 DecMonChristmas Day
202225 DecSunChristmas Day
27 DecTueChristmas Holiday