A 1931 edition of the Soviet magazine Bezbozhnik, published by the League of Militant Atheists, depicting an Orthodox Christian priest being forbidden to take home a tree for the celebration of Christmastide, which was banned under the Marxist-Leninist doctrine of state atheism.
While Christmas is celebrated globally, throughout history, various nations and regions have banned Christmas celebrations for religious, political, or ideological reasons.
These bans ranged from 17th-century religious reformations to 20th-century state-sponsored atheism.
Even today, in 2025, there are nations that maintain strict bans or significant restrictions on Christmas celebrations.
