Dancers of the Youth Russian Ballet Company prepare backstage before performing in a production of the “Nutcracker”, a classic ballet traditionally performed during the Christmas period, at the annual Festival of Lights at Joburg Zoo, in Johannesburg, on December 8, 2023. (Photo by Roberta Ciuccio/AFP Photo)





People visit Christmas lights and decorations at Zocalo square in Mexico City, Mexico on December 19, 2023. (Photo by Rodrigo Oropeza/AFP Photo)





A Palestinian assists a boy following an Israeli strike on a house, after a temporary truce between Hamas and Israel expired, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip on December 1, 2023. (Photo by Hatem Khaled/Reuters)





A woman passes by an inflatable Santa Claus at the Saara market in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on December 1, 2023. (Photo by Pilar Olivares/Reuters)





A person removes a piece of art work by Banksy, which shows what looks like three drones on a traffic stop sign, which was unveiled at the intersection of Southampton Way and Commercial Way in Peckham, south east London, Friday December 22, 2023. (Photo by Aaron Chown/PA Wire via AP Photo)





Relatives of inmates react to police during a security operation after a riot broke out at the Tacumbu penitentiary, in Asuncion, Paraguay on December 18, 2023. (Photo by Cesar Olmedo/Reuters)





Brendan Fernandes and Tylo Verreyne from Glasgow kiss as they attend the Hogmanay street party celebrations in Edinburgh, Scotland, Britain on December 31, 2023. (Photo by Lesley Martin/Reuters)





Local residents participate in the annual carbide shooting on New Year's Eve in Zwolle, the Netherlands on December 31, 2023. (Photo by Vincent Jannink/EPA/EFE/Rex Features/Shutterstock)





Troops from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries participate in a joint military exercise titled “Integration 1” at the Udari range northwest of Kuwait City on December 6, 2023. (Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat/AFP Photo)





Cast member Emma Stone attends the red carpet for the premiere of the Venice Golden Lion-winning movie “Poor Things” at Barbican Centre in London, Britain on December 14, 2023. (Photo by Hannah McKay/Reuters)





Revelers perform during the Festival of Light in San Jose, Costa Rica, on December 16, 2023. (Photo by Ezequiel Becerra/AFP Photo)





Crowds gather at Mrs Macquarie's Chair to watch the fireworks during New Year's Eve celebrations on December 31, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. Revellers turned out in large numbers to celebrate the new year in Australia. (Photo by Roni Bintang/Getty Images)





This photo taken on December 22, 2023 shows Amadeus Fernando Pagente, whose drag name is Pura Luka Vega, performing at a bar in Taguig, Metro Manila. When Filipino drag queen Amadeus Fernando Pagente dressed up as Jesus Christ and sang the Lord's Prayer in a Manila show, he considered it an expression of his Catholic faith. But a video of the performance went viral in July 2023 and ignited outrage in the deeply religious country, where many thought it was a blasphemous act deserving of jail or even death. (Photo by Jam Sta Rosa/AFP Photo)





American actress and singer Jennifer Lopez attends ELLE's Women in Hollywood Celebration, in Los Angeles, California on December 6, 2023. (Photo by Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)





Participants dressed as Ayaz Ata (Father Frost) – the Kazakh equivalent of Santa Claus take part in a procession through city streets while marking the New Year and Christmas season in Almaty, Kazakhstan on December 25, 2023. (Photo by Pavel Mikheyev/Reuters)





People walk near burnt cars as they view an exhibit that reconstructs the Nova festival grounds and displays the original equipment used at the festival that was attacked by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas from the Gaza Strip on October 7, in Tel Aviv, Israel on December 6, 2023. (Photo by Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters)





Two huge balloons are led down the street during the Bolo Fest 2023 Christmas parade on Paseo de la Reforma Avenue in Mexico City, Mexico, 02 December 2023. Thousands of people attended the 9th edition of the “Bolo Fest 2023” parade, featuring giant balloons and Christmas characters and marking the start of the December holidays for many. (Photo by Jose Mendez/EPA)





The “Field of Light”, an art installation by British Australian artist Bruce Munro, is pictured in the Manhattan, New York City on December 13, 2023. The Field of Light at Freedom Plaza debuts December 13, 2023 with 18,750 glittering lights made possible by the Soloviev Foundation, the immersive public art installation by artist Bruce Munro that encompasses more than six-acres from 38th to 41st Street east of First Avenue in Manhattan and welcomes guests free of charge. (Photo by Timothy A. Clary/AFP Photo)