Christmas Day around the world – in pictures

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive for the traditional Christmas Day church service at St Mary Magdalene Church on the royal estate in Sandringham, Norfolk, UK Photograph: Joe Giddens/PA

Pope Francis greets the faithful after delivering the Urbi et Orbi Christmas Day message from the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City Photograph: Ettore Ferrari/EPA

Santa Claus holds a beer as he watches children open their Christmas presents on Christmas Day at Brighton Beach in Melbourne, Australia Photograph: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

Bulgaria's newly elected Orthodox church patriarch, Neophyte, leads the Christmas mass in the golden-domed Alexander Nevsky cathedral in central Sofia. Bulgaria, unlike some other fellow Orthodox countries, celebrates Christmas on 25 December Photograph: Nikolay Doychinov/AFP/Getty Images

A volunteer dressed as Santa Claus distributes presents on Christmas Day to children who survived typhoon Haiyan in Leyte province, the Philippines
Photograph: Ted Alijbe/AFP/Getty Images

A Father Chrismas is followed by children in a dusty street in Ambohibary in Madagascar Photograph: Alexander Joe/AFP/Getty Images

Indian Christians offering prayers at the Infant Jesus church during a Christmas mass in Bengaluru, India Photograph: Jagadeesh Nv/EPA

The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Fouad Twal, leads a Catholic mass at the Church of St Catherine, which is connected to the Church of the Nativity, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem Photograph: Mohamad Torokman/Reuters

Members of the Serpentine Swimming Club take part in the annual Christmas Day swim in Hyde Park, London, UK Photograph: Yui Mok/PA

Children surround Ded Moroz (Father Frost), who has arrived at Moscow Zoo in Russia Photograph: Ivan Sekretarev/AP

Santa rides the waves off Fort Lauderdale, Florida, US
Photograph: MCT/Landov/Barcroft Media

A meerkat looks for meal worms hidden in Christmas baubles after staff from the Blair Drummond Safari Park decorated the tree in their enclosure at the park Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

US troops from the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force celebrate Christmas in Kabul, Afghanistan Photograph: Omar Sobhani/Reuters

The archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, delivers his Christmas Day sermon at Cantebury Cathedral, UK Photograph: Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images