How to Spend Christmas in Egypt
Egyptian hotels will often have Chrstmas decorations up!e Chrstmas decorations up!
Since many travelers have time off from work and school around the Christmas Holiday, it's a very popular time to travel to Egypt! I've even arranged multiple trips with my own family to visit Egypt at Christmastime, since that's when my parents and sisters have the most time off from work. I'm often asked though, does Egypt celebrate Christmas?
If you're visiting Egypt in Christmas, here is everything you need to know, like:
1. When do Egyptians celebrate Christmas (this may surprise you!)
2. Is Christmas a good time to visit Egypt?
3. What to expect when visiting Egypt during Christmas
4. Specific Christmas activities in Egypt
5. Local Egyptian Christmas traditions
If you don't know me already, my name is Gus, and I have been living in Egypt off and on for 13 years. I speak fluent Egyptian Arabic, have traveled the entire country, and for the past several years have organized countless Egypt tours.
I also personally lead several group tours of Egypt each year, including a privately-chartered Dahabiya Yacht - I'd love you to join me in Egypt on an upcoming trip!
I lead several group tours of Egypt each year - here is one of my groups at the famous Hanging Church!
When do Egyptians Celebrate Christmas?
Before I moved to Egypt for the first time in 2012, there was so much I didn't know - I had no idea that a large portion of Egypt's population (estimates range from 10-30%) are Coptic Orthodox Christian, and I also didn't know that Coptic Christians follow an older calendar (stemming from calendars used by the ancient Egyptians), which is why you'll see Christmas celebrated on January 7th, not December 25th.
Even though January 7th is Coptic Orthodox Christmas Day, Egyptian Christians begin a 43-day Nativity Fast (where they eat a vegan diet for every single meal) on November 25 to mark the start of the season - more on that later when we talk about Egyptian Christmas traditions.
They come together on the night of January 6, Coptic Christmas Eve, for a special midnight mass, before enjoying a festive feast together and communally breaking their fast.
So, don't be surprised on December 25th if not a lot of Egyptians are wishing you a Merry Christmas - they are probably waiting until January 7!
Many tourists don’t know this, but there are hundreds of Christian churches all over Egypt!
Is Christmas a good time to visit Egypt?
The weather in Egypt during Christmas is perfect (whether celebrating on December 25 or January 7), with most days being sunny and warm, and the nights mild and cool (but not cold). The only exception is Alexandria, where winter brings colder temperatures than the rest of the country, and quite a bit of rain.
In general, it is warmer and sunnier the further south you go in Egypt (places like Aswan and Luxor have the warmest weather in the country), and it gets cooler and more rainy the further north of Cairo you go.
Weather aside, most people in the USA, Canada, Australia, and Europe celebrate Christmas on 25 December, and often vacations for work and school align with this period in between the two holidays of Christmas and New Years' Day, usually starting on December 24 and going through January 2.
This means that the last few days in December and the first couple days in January are often the busiest travel days of the year, with thousands of people visiting destinations all over the world.
Since you need at least a week in order to really experience what Egypt has to offer (and an even longer trip of 12 days is my recommendation), all of those built-in days around December 25 seem like the perfect time to visit Egypt.
But if you've read my post on the worst time to visit Egypt, you'll know that around December 25 is when the sites are the most crowded, and actually a time I recommend avoiding entirely so you aren't stuck queuing up at the Great Pyramid to go inside, or in a mass of people trying to experience the temples on a Nile Cruise.
Festive decorations at Simonds Bakery in Zamalek!
So the answer to "Is Christmas a good time to visit Egypt?" is nuanced:
Yes, Christmas is a good time to visit Egypt, for really beautiful, sunny, warm weather.
No, Christmas is not a good time to visit Egypt, because the sites are super crowded!
Yes, Christmas is a good time to visit Egypt, since it's the most convenient time to get off from work and school.
No, Christmas is not a good time to visit Egypt, considering everything (hotels, flights, cruises) is more expensive!
As you can see, there are pros and cons to visiting Egypt during Christmas, but if you're like me and the dates work out so well for your family or travel group that you are planning your trip anyway, stay tuned, because I've got some suggestions for how to make the most of it!
What to Expect when visiting Egypt at Christmas
Egypt during what we consider Christmastime (December 25) is actually not that different from any other time of the year, since Coptic Orthodox Christians (the main branch of Christianity in Egypt) celebrate Christmas later in the season, like mentioned before.
You'll notice decorations like Christmas Trees up in shopping malls (you might even see a Santa Claus), and around Coptic Churches, but other than that, you probably won't know Christmas is happening at all.
What you will definitely notice when visiting Egypt during Christmas is beautiful weather (like I said earlier, sunny and warm!), and lots and lots of tourists! It is by far the busiest time of year to do a Nile Cruise, visit the Giza Pyramids, or stay in a hotel anywhere in Egypt.
Knowing this, here are my recommendations for how to make the most of your time if you are visiting Egypt during the holiday season:
A Christmas tree at the Steigenberger Alcazar hotel in Sharm el Sheikh
Try to book a private tour
Booking a private tour with your own, local Egyptologist guide can be a life-saver when faced with crowds at the museums, pyramids, temples, and tombs, since your guide can help make quick adjustments with a private tour that wouldn't be possible in a big tour group. Keeping your group size to 14 or fewer people is best. Want help booking a private tour? Tell me about your trip and I can help!
Plan on early morning starts
If you really like avoiding crowds, getting to the sites early morning, right when they open, can help ensure you have the best chance of enjoying them without the throngs of people getting in the way.
Wear layers, though! In Egypt, winter mornings can be quite cool, so you'll want to start the day in long pants and likely a sweater or light jacket before shedding some layers later in the day after the sun is high in the sky.
Opt for a Dahabiya Nile Cruise instead of a large Nile Cruise ship
Dahabiya Nile Cruises are my preferred way to travel the Nile, and during the busy Christmas season, even more so. These small yachts only fit between 12-24 people, and they follow different schedules than the giant Nile Cruise ships, meaning you arrive at the temples and tombs when they are quieter, and can visit some places the big ships can't go to at all, like Gebel el Silsileh.
Consider travel insurance
When visiting Egypt during a really busy time like Christmas, having travel insurance gives you peace of mind that you have coverage if any part of your trip is delayed or canceled for reasons outside your control, and if you have any medical needs while traveling in Egypt, most insurance policies will cover some or all of your medical expenses.
Of course, I'm not an insurance agent, so you need to talk to your own insurance agent or insurance company in order to know what is included or not included in any travel insurance plan.
Spend Christmas or New Years on the Red Sea
Spending Christmas in Egypt means tons of crowds and lots of tourists, but if you finish the trip with a couple nights on the Red Sea, you can relax and recharge before heading back home.
The weather in cities like Hurghada, El Gouna, and Sharm el Sheikh is perfect in December, and there are tons of great resorts to choose from.
For folks who like scuba diving or snorkeling, Egypt has some of the best coral reefs in the world!
If you are in Egypt during Christmas and have a Christian Guide, they would love to share more about their holiday traditions, I’m sure!
Ask if your guide is Coptic Christian or Muslim
There are thousands of local Egyptologist guides in Egypt, so naturally many of them are Muslim, and many of them are Coptic Orthodox Christian. If you plan on visiting Egypt during Christmastime, ask if your guide is Christian or Muslim. If your guide is Christian, you can ask them lots of questions about Christmas in Egypt, and maybe even ask about attending any special Christmas events.
If you have a local Muslim guide, they will still be able to answer lots of your questions about how Christians celebrate Christmas in Egypt, and whatever questions they can't answer, they definitely will know a Coptic Orthodox Christian they can ask!
Pack clothes for cooler weather
Even though Egypt is much warmer year-round than lots of places in the USA (since I’m a Minnesotan, I know this well!), you still need warm clothes if you visit Egypt in Christmas.
Temperatures in the north of Egypt (think Cairo and Alexandria) are warm during the day but cool or even cold at night, and the wind can be intense. Packing a mixture of heavy and light clothes that you can layer is the best way to ensure you’ll be comfortable.
In Luxor and Aswan, the weather will be warm and sunny during the day, but watch out for cool mornings when you are on your Nile Cruise, in the middle of the Nile River. The combination of a strong wind over the chilly water and cooler temperatures means it might be colder than you think!
Experience sites that are off the beaten path
If you're visiting Luxor during Christmas, of course the most popular sites like the Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple will be swarming with people, but if you want to go off the beaten path, you might find little to no tourists at all at certain places.
Lesser-visited sites in Luxor
Don't just see the Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, and Hatshepsut's Temple. Try visiting the lesser known Deir el Medina Workers' Tombs, or Madinet Habu Temple to have fewer crowds to deal with
Lesser-visited sites in Cairo
Cairo is one of the largest cities in Africa, and of course you have to see the big sites like the Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, and the Grand Egyptian Museum, but try going to lesser-known places like the Pyramids of Dahshur, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, or the Mosque of Ibn Tulun.
Lesser-visited sites in Aswan
Everyone in Aswan visits Philae Temple, the High Dam, and the Unfinished Obelisk, but I love going to Kalabsha Temple, Elephantine Island, or the Nubian Museum for something different.
Specific Christmas Activities in Egypt
An Egypt Christmas trip booked during the 25 December Christmas Holiday doesn't offer much in terms of unique activities, except for at hotels or shopping malls.
Often Egyptian hotels will be decorated for Christmas in December through mid-January, and they usually offer a special Christmas Day Meal, or New Years Meal - these can get pretty expensive though, so definitely ask about the cost before reserving a special meal at your hotel!
Malls in Egypt at Christmastime will often have decorations up, and maybe even a visit from Santa, but that's about it.
By December 25, a lot of churches will likely have decorations up, like Christmas lights and nativity scenes.
Christmas in Egypt Traditions
If you find yourself in Egypt over the Coptic Orthodox Christmas (7 January), then there are more traditions and activities you can join!
Midnight Mass
Since Coptic Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7th, you can attend a special Midnight Mass at any Coptic Church on January 6th. Be forewarned though - these services can often be super long (sometimes as long as 3 hours!), and most of it will be in the Coptic Language, a language older than Egyptian Arabic, and usually only spoken during church services or by monks at Coptic Monasteries.
Fun fact - the Coptic Language is actually derived from the Ancient Egyptian language!
Christmas Feasts
Coptic Orthodox Christians often have a feast to celebrate Christmas. If you are lucky enough to be invited to someone's home for a Christmas Feast, don't hesitate! This feast is where Christians will break their 43 day fast (where they only eat vegan food), and for the first time in 43 days, eat meat and dairy - expect lots of good, hearty food.
Christmas in Egypt food
There are so many great Egyptian foods to try, and plenty of delicious restaurants to try them at! If you're looking specifically for Christmas food in Egypt, here are some dishes to look for. None of these dishes are eaten only at Christmas though, so you can try these year-round as well.
Fatta
Fatta is a classic Egyptian dish and is made of a layer of toasted Egyptian bread, topped with Egyptian rice (made with brown butter vermicelli noodles - delicious!), beef or chicken, and topped with a garlic-vinegar tomato sauce. Muslims love eating it at their Eid feasts, and Christians at Christmastime!
Koshari is a traditional food eaten by Christians in Egypt when they are fasting.
Koshari
If you know me, you know koshari is one of my favorite Egyptian foods. This is a vegan dish, so Christians might not eat it at the fast-breaking feast itself, but it is a super popular dish during the 43 day fasting period.
Koshari is made by mixing lentils, chickpeas, spaghetti, macaroni, and rice, adding a delicious tomato sauce, lemon juice, vinegar-garlic sauce, and then topping the entire concoction with fresh, fried onions.
Kahk
Kahk are little bits of cookie heaven! They're a very soft, dry, sugary cookie (similar to Russian teacake cookies), and are served as sweets at tons of Egyptian holidays, like the Muslim holiday celebrating the birth of the prophet Muhammad, and the Christian holiday of Christmas.
Fun facts about Christmas in Egypt
There is Santa Claus in Egypt, whom they call "Baba Noel" instead of Santa Claus - "Baba" in Arabic means "dad", or "father".
Even though Egypt's population is predominantly Muslim (between 70-90% of Egyptians are Muslim), since Egypt has a large Christian population (in the MILLIONS), Christmas is an important holiday!
A January 7th Christmas celebration is what you can expect in Egypt, even though there may be decorations in specific places like shopping malls and churches on December 25th.
Egyptian Christians might give and receive gifts, but this is not as common or to the extent that we do in the USA. Usually children are the only ones who receive gifts, and this often will be money to buy treats or a small toy.
Even though Christmas is an official holiday in Egypt, all tourist sites remain open, so you can visit museums, Pyramids, Tombs, and more on Christmas Day! You may even see more Egyptians at these sites on these days, since they may have the time off of work, even for Muslim Egyptians.
Muslims in Egypt deeply respect and honor their Coptic Orthodox Christian friends and co-workers, so it's very common for a Muslim Egyptian to tell a Christian Egyptian "Merry Christmas", or to send them well-wishes via social media, a phone call or text message, or in person.
How to say Merry Christmas in Egypt
If you want to say Merry Christmas in Egyptian Arabic, there are two ways you can say it:
عيد ميلاد مجيد
The first way to say Merry Christmas in Arabic is: Eid Milad Majid (in Egyptian Arabic, it sounds like "EYE-EED MEE-lad MUH-GEED"), which translates to "Glorious Holiday of Birth".
عيد ميلاد سعيد
The second way to say Merry Christmas in Egypt is: Eid Milad Sayed (in Egyptian Arabic, it sounds like "EYE-EED MEE-lad SAW-YEED"), which translates to "Happy Holiday of Birth".
Many Egyptians will also understand you if you simply say Merry Christmas in English as well!
Want to learn more Egyptian Arabic to get ready for your trip? Check out my quick guide to learning Egyptian Arabic Basics!
Now you know all about Christmas in Egypt, including the difference between Christmas on the 25th of December and Coptic Christmas on the 7th of January, and what to expect if you are planning on visiting Egypt during this festive time.
What questions do you have about how to plan your trip to Egypt during Christmas? Did you visit Egypt during Christmastime, and what was your experience like? Leave a comment and let me know!
