Christmas in Modern Jordan: Public Religion, Official Islam, and the Politics of Celebration during the Gaza Crisis

This study examines the dynamics of Christmas celebrations in modern Jordan. While Jordan lacks precise religious demographics, over 95% of its citizens are Muslims, with Christians accounting for approximately 3% of the population. Despite its small Christian population, Jordan can be considered a country in which Christmas symbols are relatively common in public spaces. However, Christmas celebrations in 2023 and 2024 were apparently restrained, influenced by the Gaza crisis after October 7, 2023. This study aims to understand Jordanian politics and society in crisis by analyzing how Christmas is represented in Jordan, how Christians celebrate and pray, and how Muslims perceive these conditions and events. Based on an analysis of Jordanian newspaper archives, official statements from the royal family, and interviews conducted during the Christmas season of 2025, the study has three main findings: First, the representation of Christmas in Jordan’s public spaces has been tolerated as a part of the official Islamic policies of the Jordanian royal family. Second, the practice of Christmas in Jordan exists on a spectrum between “prayer” and “celebration,” shifting across three settings: public spaces, churches, and homes. Third, refraining from Christmas celebrations for two years during the Gaza crisis can be understood as a form of expression of everyday politics and a socially meaningful gesture of solidarity associated with the broader boycott and with pro-Palestinian mobilizations.