Ethiopian Christmas, known as Genna , is celebrated every year on January 7 according to the Ethiopian Orthodox and Eritrean Orthodox tradition.

Exact date and calendar

  • Ethiopian Christmas falls on January 7 in the Gregorian calendar each year.
  • In the Ethiopian calendar, Genna is on Tahsas 29 (or Tahsas 28 in a leap cycle), which corresponds to January 7 on most years.

Recent and upcoming dates

  • In recent years and in the coming years, Ethiopian Christmas continues to be observed on January 7, regardless of the weekday.
  • This aligns with other Orthodox traditions (such as Russian and some Eastern churches) that also celebrate Christmas on January 7 rather than December 25.

How it is celebrated

  • The holiday is marked by church services, fasting beforehand, and then festive meals once the fast ends, especially within the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
  • Many celebrations, especially in places like Lalibela, include all‑night vigils, white traditional clothing, and communal worship that emphasize the spiritual side of the feast.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.