Jerusalem Christians prepare for Christmas
With the possible exception of the usually sleepy Nazareth, which comes to life with pilgrims annually, Christmas is more visible in Jerusalem than in any other place in Israel.This event has ended
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With the possible exception of the usually sleepy Nazareth, which comes to life with pilgrims annually, Christmas is more visible in Jerusalem than in any other place in Israel. Though the streets are hardly decked with tinsel in most of the town, the presence of the holiday is felt strongly in Jerusalem, with native Jerusalemite Catholics and Protestants and multitudes of Christian tourists bringing plenty holiday spirit to the ancient alleys of the Old City and the thoroughfares of the chiefly Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem's eastern half (Jerusalem's many Orthodox Christians also celebrate the holiday, naturally, but it falls later for them).
Traditional Christmas celebrations in the faith's central city have become more than a little colored in recent years by the White Christmas-and-Rudolph take on the holiday prevalent in America. Red and green decorations abound in the shadow of the Holy Sepulchre, Christmas trees are strung with lights, costumed Santas hold court in the Old City to hear children's wish lists, and members of Old City churches parade through the streets to celebrate the birthday of one of Jerusalem's most famous residents (though you'll probably have to settle for pine nuts roasting on an open fire).
Every year, the Municipality of Jerusalem distributes free Christmas trees to city Christians, living up to Jerusalem's reputation as a city of many faiths, and keeping the streets buzzing with seasonal spirit.
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