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If you are planning to spend Christmas in the land where Christ was born, you have to remember that this is not the main holiday celebrated in israel at this time of year. That celebration is the Jewish festival of Hannukah, and it is celebrated for eight days and nights in the month of December. Christmas day is just another working day to most Israelis, and you won't find any of the trappings associated with a more familiar Christmas, such as decorated trees, tinsel or Santa Claus in centers such as Tel Aviv.

But in the city of Bethlehem, Christmas is celebrated with fervor. It is the birthplace of Christ, and many Christians of all denominations live here, so the streets are lit with Christmas lights, and the various Christian denominations celebrate with parades through the streets. Bethlehem is filled with holy places that are the focus of the Christmas celebrations.

The most important is The Church of the Nativity, which marks the spot where Christ was born. While Christian tradition says Christ was born in a stable, the actual location is more likely to have been a cave. Caves were used as stabling for animals in early times. The Church is built on top of the cave where Christ is believed to have been born and laid in a manger, which is called the Grotto of the Nativity. The spot where the manger stood is marked by a silver star.

Across Manger Square outside the Church of the Nativity is St Catherine's Church. This church is built on the spot where Christ is said to have appeared to St Catherine of Alexandria in 310 AD. Here is the entrance to more caves below the Church of the Nativity, including the Chapel of the Innocents (a tomb for the children slain by Herod the Great) and the Chapel of Joseph, the husband of Mary.

At Christmas a daily procession makes its way from St Catherine's Church, across Manger Square, to the Church of the Nativity. As Christmas is celebrated at different times in December and January by different denominations, events continue from December 24 to January 19.

You can also visit Nazareth during the holiday season, where Christ spent his childhood with his mother Mary, and her husband, Joseph. Here Christmas is celebrated in a very recognizable style to western eyes, with shops filled with decorations and gifts. Here Mary also received the news that she was to bear the Christ child, and fireworks mark the spot where she stood.

Christmas in Israel is a special occasion for any Christian, and all Christians of all denominations are catered for, and most travel agencies have planned trips that see to it that you get the most from this once in a lifetime experience.

Learn more about this author, Gail Kavanagh.
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