Christmas in Egypt: Everything You Should Know

Christmas in Egypt is quite interesting.

While Egypt is mostly a Muslim country, about 10 percent of citizens are Christians.

That means not only is Christmas celebrated….but it’s celebrated by over 10 million Egyptians!

But what does Christmas in Egypt look like? How is it celebrated, how is it different than Christmas in the western world, and how does it differ from Ramadan?

You’ve got questions. We’ve got answers!

How Do Christians Celebrate Christmas in Egypt?

Christians in Egypt DON’T celebrate the same Christmas (the one in December) as Westerners due. This is the first thing you should know.

Egyptian Christians are usually Coptic Christians, which makes them a part of the Orthodox church (like much of eastern Europe)..

This means that they celebrate their Christmas on January 7th. That said, in the 21st century, celebrating the western Christmas (December 24th-25th) has became more of a social event. Even though December 25th doesn’t have any religious significance to Christian Egyptians, it’s still copied from Western cultures.

That’s especially true with higher social classes in Egypt. You can find a lot of rich people throughout Egypt – regardless of their religion – “celebrating Christmas” in a non-serious way.

Plus, let’s be honest: it’s commercial.

Businesses all over Egypt market different products and services related to the Western version of Christmas. Whether it’s shops selling Christmas-related shirts, or hotels putting up Christmas decorations during December….it’s all about the money!

Differences Between Christmas in Egypt and the “Western Christmas”

So what are the differences?

Well, for your average Orthodox Christians in Egypt, there’s not really a special way to show the celebrations. No Christmas trees, Santa Clause, or exchanging gifts. As we’ve seen, these ARE used by businesses (snowmen, Christmas trees, etc.).

Just not so important to actual Christians!

Most Christian Egyptians do gather as a family to celebrate and feast together after a long fast. There’s food, family, and music, but not the typical Christmas celebration that you might see in Europe or America.

Are There Problems Between Christians and Muslims in Egypt?

This is a question often asked by people that are interested in Egypt.

In normal day-to-day life, there are no problems. Most Egyptians you ask (both Muslim and Christian) will tell you that the two religions live peacefully with one another.

That was certainly my experience living in Cairo. I knew many Egyptians from both religions, and they usually seemed to mix very well without a problems.

However, there will always be fights and arguments (especially on social media). And you can definitely find them during the festive occasions!

Also, on a much more serious level, there were a few bombings in the past. These usually targeted big churches and Christian Egyptians during their celebrations. These, of course, were planned by extreme terrorists. Not your typical Muslim Egyptians!

Simply put: normal Muslim and Christian populations mix in Egyptian society.

They deal with normal problems like normal people.

Biggest Differences Between Ramadan and Christmas in Egypt

Well, there are obviously similarities in terms of importance for the people that celebrate it.

Check out our post about Ramadan in Cairo for more information.

Ramadan is celebrated first and foremost as a religious event. That means that it’s celebrated by all social classes.

The same is true of the Orthodox Christmas in the Chrsitian community.

Quite different for “Western Christmas,” though. Egyptians of both religions “celebrate” this holiday – just not seriously.

Egyptian Arabic Example Phrases

Now that you know a bit about Christmas in Egypt, we’ll cover some of the language.

Christians. : mesy7yeen.

.مسيحين

Muslims. : Moslmeen.

.مسلمين

Peace be upon you. : Slamo 3aleko.

.سلام عليكو

I have a gift for you. : 3andy Hedya leek.

.عندي هدية ليك

I hope you have a good year. : atmna enha kant sana sa3eda 3aleek.

.اتمني انهى كانت سنة سعيدة عليك

Let’s celebrate together! : yala n7tafel sawa.

.يلا نحتفل سوا

Merry Christmas!

…

Happy learning,

Cleo Lingo