Sending out goodwill to all, seasons greetings embrace Iraq

After visiting markets across Baghdad, Iraqi media groups have noted how this Christmas has been bigger than ever. This year, festive sales have been "unprecedented" and the turnout at Christmas celebrations have been described as "remarkable". 

The festive atmosphere in Baghdad has been in full swing, as staff from the Embassy of the Netherlands discovered! What is striking, are the vibrant colours on display, reflecting the hope and optimism which the Christmas season provides. 

This stunning picture from St. Joseph’s Church in Sulaymaniyah, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, shows the true beauty of celebrating Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. This picture was taken by Karzan Rashed and we absolutely love it. 

The kids must have been excited to see Baba Noel arrive in Iraq. We really hope they got to write to Father Christmas and leave a carrot out for Rudolph. We also wonder, if Father Christmas had a mince pie or a piece of delicious baklava before heading to the West?