India, Dec. 22 -- Christmas has become a global festival celebrated not only by Christians but also by people belonging to different religions. While for Christians, Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, its widespread observance is also shaped by cultural influences such as media, travel, and secular traditions like gift-giving, decorating Christmas trees, and the figure of Santa Claus.

Market forces also play a key role in making Christmas a global phenomenon. Today, Christmas has become a significant economic event and a major sales period for retailers, contributing to its visibility and celebration in many countries, even those with small Christian populations, such as Japan and India.

In many countries, Christmas Day i...