Countdown on for a Christmas amid Covid
Even as the world battles the Coronavirus pandemic, preparations are underway in many countries to usher in Christmas. Here are some glimpses:
FollowSanta Claus talks to children on Zoom on November 27, 2020 in Newquay, England. A new partnership between Santa Claus and Children's Hospice South West sees Santa meeting with children right across the country, safely in the comfort of their own homes via Zoom. For every session booked a 10% donation will go to Children's Hospice South West, supporting care for children with life-limiting conditions and their families. (Photo by Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images)
A member of the public walks past a snowman Christmas decoration on November 27, 2020 in Royal Tunbridge Wells, United Kingdom. The UK Government announced a new tier system for England once the second coronavirus lockdown comes to an end on Wednesday 2nd December. Much of the country will be placed into Tier 2 which means the "rule of six" applies and pubs and bars can only operate as restaurants. Hospitality venues can only serve alcohol with substantial meals. Public attendance at spectator sport and business events can resume inside and outside, subject to social contact rules. The Isle of Wight and Cornwall will be placed in tier one being the lowest risk areas and much of the North and North East of England in tier three which has the strictest restrictions, as has Royal Tunbridge Wells. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Aurora Arbour, London's tallest LED christmas tree, is seen at Wembley Park on November 27, 2020 in London, England. At 25 metres, the specially-commissioned digital artwork, Aurora Arbour, is the tallest LED Christmas tree ever built in London. Artist Sian Bliss has based the design on the movements of a winter night's sky. It is a bespoke, kinetic 100,000 LED light display that illuminates London's newest creative neighbourhood along with digital animations and illustrations featuring sunrises, moon cycles and aurora borealis across Bobby Moore Bridge with four digital totems and 14 LED banners along Olympic Way. (Photo by Peter Summers/Getty Images)
Santa Claus decorations are displayed for sale outside a store during Black Friday on November 27, 2020 in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, face masks are required on the boardwalk and strongly recommended on the beach. (Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images)
Children Zoe (R), Gwen (L), and Rory Godfrey talk to Santa on Zoom on November 27, 2020 in Crantock, England. A new partnership between Santa Claus and Children's Hospice South West sees Santa meeting with children right across the country, safely in the comfort of their own homes via Zoom. For every session booked a 10% donation will go to Children's Hospice South West, supporting care for children with life-limiting conditions and their families. (Photo by Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images)
A Christmas tree is installed and decorated outside the door of 10 Downing Street on November 27, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)
People walk past Christmas lights at Goya Street on November 26, 2020 in Madrid, Spain. The Madrid council has increased their budget for the traditional Christmas lights to 3.17 million euros this year, amid measures to control the coronavirus pandemic. The council has also included lights in the design of the Spanish flag measuring up to one kilometer as a new feature in this year's installation. (Photo by Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images)
Customers sitting in their cars receiving goods at a drive-in Christmas market during the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic on November 26, 2020 in Landshut, Germany. The drive-in Christmas market, organized by a local restaurant, offers basic Christmas market delicacies at a time when nearly all of Germany's traditional Christmas markets have been cancelled due to lockdown measures meant to stem the spread of Covid-19. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
Red lights decorate the trees to illuminate the Champs-Elysees avenue with the Arc de Triomphe in the background for Christmas and New Year celebrations on November 24, 2020 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
A member of the public walks through Burlington Arcade decorated with Christmas Trees on November 23, 2020 in London, England. UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, will announce plans for new coronavirus restrictions to the House of Commons once the current lockdown comes to an end on December 2nd. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
A shop owner displays Christmas items at the Namdaemun market on November 25, 2020 in Seoul, South Korea. Authorities announced the tightening of social distancing regulations and the closure of some kinds of businesses, including nightclubs, to combat a quickly increase wave of Covid-19 infections this week. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
A giant Christmas tree is seen at the empty Galeries Lafayette store on November 19, 2020 in Paris, France. Les Galeries Lafayette store has been closed along with all other non-essential shops since October 30th , 2020 when France imposed another national lockdown for a minimum four weeks as part of the Covid-19 measures to fight a second wave of coronavirus disease. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Carolyn Spray holds one of her many Poinsettia plants ready to be dispatched for the Christmas season at the Pentland Plants garden centre on November 14,2020 in Loanhead, Scotland. The garden center grows around 100,000 poinsettias, a traditional Christmas house plant. The Midlothian business supplies a host of garden centres across Scotland and the north of England in time for Christmas. (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
Mrs. Claus and Santa Claus characters prepare to greet vehicles entering the Glittering Lights drive-thru light show during the attraction's opening night at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on November 13, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The annual holiday display features 5 million lights along a 2.5-mile course. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
An illuminated reindeer Christmas decoration stands in a near deserted Liverpool city centre on November 12, 2020 in Liverpool, England. More than 42,000 people had been tested for covid-19 in the city's mass testing trial. In that time, all residents and workers in the city are being offered the test and has now been extended to schools. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
