By Lily Zhou

Residents of Taiwan got Dec. 25 off for the first time in nearly 25 years after lawmakers reinstated a public holiday that coincides with Christmas Day.

In Taiwan, Dec. 25 is commemorated as Constitution Day to mark the creation and the adoption of the document. Part of Taiwan’s population had always used the day to celebrate Christmas, either as a religious holiday or an opportunity to enjoy the festive atmosphere.

On Christmas Eve, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense posted a screenshot on X from the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) Santa Tracker, with a message saying that the tracker showed Santa Claus had flown over Taipei at 10:41 p.m. local time.

“During this time, #ROCArmedForces maintained full control of the surrounding sea and airspace, ensuring normal conditions throughout,” the ministry added, referring to Taiwan’s official name, Republic of China.

The ROC’s Constitution was ratified by the National Constituent Assembly in Nanjing, mainland China, on Dec. 25, 1946, when Taiwan’s opposition party, the Kuomintang, was the ruling party. It was implemented on the same day the following year.

In 1963, over a decade after the Kuomintang government retreated to Taiwan, Dec. 25 was made a public holiday in the self-ruled island.

Constitution Day, however, along with several other national holidays, became workdays for schools and public servants in 2001, when Taiwan began implementing a five-day work week in the public sector, and in 2017 for private-sector employees.

On May 9, lawmakers approved five new public holidays, including Constitution Day.

The other new holidays include Labour Day, on May 1; Confucius’s Birthday, or Teachers’ Day, on Sept. 28; Taiwan Retrocession Day and the Anniversary of the Battle of Guningtou, on Oct. 25; and the day before the Lunar New Year’s Eve, which usually lands on a day in January or February in the Gregorian calendar.

A child enjoys artificial snowfall at a street decorated with lights ahead of the Christmas festival in Pingtung on Dec. 22, 2025. I-Hwa Cheng/AFP via Getty Images

Christianity was introduced to Taiwan around 400 years ago. According to a 2023 report by the Chinese Christian Evangelistic Association, Taiwan had an estimated 1.15 million Christians, representing nearly 5 percent of the population.

Throughout the season, shops and parks were lit up with Christmas lights. Christmas trees, markets, and other events could be seen across the island. The Taipei Zoo also prepared Christmas decorations and treats for its animal residents.