Many European and Latin American nations celebrate Christmas on December 24, including the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Argentina, Colombia, and Brazil. This is usually because of deep-rooted cultural traditions and religious implications.
The first region to celebrate the New Year is Kiritimati in Oceania. The small island, also known as Christmas Island, inhibits a time zone 14 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The first major islands to reach midnight in the region will be Tonga, Samoa and parts of New Zealand, one hour later.
Does anyone live on Christmas Island? Christmas Island is home to a mix of cultures, creating a diverse, vibrant and friendly community. The island's phosphate mining heritage brought workers here from all over the region. Today Christmas Island has around 2000 residents.