Christmas around the world

People gathered with friends, family and strangers to celebrate Christmas around the world. At the Vatican, Pope Francis delivered the Catholic church's traditional "Urbi et Orbi" (Latin for "to the city and to the world) Christmas message from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica. Francis said: "truly there are so many tears this Christmas."

At a US base at Bagram Airfield, north of Kabul, soldiers in uniform lit candles. Canadian Brig. Gen. Guy Hamel joined volunteers taking phone calls from children around the world tracking Santa.

Brave souls took part in the annual Christmas Day Peter Pan Cup swim race at the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park in London and at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, surfers hit the waves wearing Santa hats.