Christmas celebrations in Nagaland

Christmas is being celebrated in Nagaland today with religious fervour and joy by holding special services and offering of prayers.
People are visiting close ones and relatives, extending season's greetings and exchanging gifts, besides exchanging Christmas cakes and cards.
The celebrations commenced last night as youths were engaged in camp-fire in colonies and revellers moved around in groups, on foot and vehicles, wishing 'Merry Christmas'.
Youths also participated in Christmas carols while the sky lit up with fire crackers that started bursting from midnight.
Today, believers were seen attending special Church services dressed in fine clothing to offer prayers for an early solution to the decades old Naga political struggle.

Meanwhile, Nagaland Governor P B Acharya in his Christmas message said Christmas is a time to thank to God for his infinite gift of love and mercy to people of the earth.

Extending heartiest greetings and best wishes to all the people of the state, the Governor said, "Christmas is celebrated to renew the bonds of love, tolerance and compassion which Jesus has taught the world."
He, therefore, appealed to people to uphold the values of brotherhood, tolerance and caring which the season of Christmas gives hope for.
"Let us also reach out to one another irrespective of religion, caste and region and spread communal harmony and unity in the country," he said.

The Governor also called upon the people to pray for permanent peace and brotherhood and also hoped that the almighty blesses Nagaland with peace and prosperity.
Around 92 per cent of the state's population are Christians.