Christmas has been celebrated in the Marshall Islands since the 1850s, when the first American Protestant missionaries arrived. Today, the Marshall Islands, a tightly-knit society of 51,000 people, is a staunchly Christian nation. Christmas is a highly anticipated holiday in the Marshall Islands and is celebrated with festive dances and music.
Individuals prepare for the rejoicing some three months in advance.
On Christmas, the merrymaking continues non-stop for 24 hours. The festive tradition of trimming the Christmas Tree originated in 16th century Germany. It is believed the Christmas Tree evolved from this concept. Edible ornaments continued to be the primary trimming until the mid-1800s, when the Germans began to create glass Christmas decorations. By this time the practice had spread throughout the world.