In Zimbabwean towns, food tastes have become westernised, but in the countryside, there remains a time-honoured tradition of eating insects. The chafer beetle, also called the Christmas beetle, is a dark-red bug which proliferates in the southern hemisphere country at this time of year.

Like many other New Yorkers, Darwin Romero lost his job to the pandemic. He decided to walk the streets of the city as Santa Claus to make some money on Christmas Eve. But money is scarce as few people leave their homes amid the coronavirus pandemic. "He is a joyful character who inspires love, who brings peace to the world, at least at Christmas," Darwin says as he dons a Santa Claus costume.

Even the animals of Berlin zoo are getting in on the festive fun, with staff giving them tasty treats like meat or vegetable Christmas trees.

Crowds flock to Taipei's annual Christmas Land lights festival, featuring Disney-themed 3D mapping projections and colourful lighting installations. Taiwan is one of the few places in the world that has not imposed lockdowns during the pandemic. Now in its 10th year, Christmas Land is Taiwan's largest Christmas lights festival, attracting more than 6 million visitors last year.

Sydney's Bondi beach -- normally packed with dressed-up surfers celebrating Christmas -- looks much emptier this year as the threat of a growing cluster of cases in northern Sydney keeps the crowds away.

Thousands of truck drivers remain stuck in southeastern England waiting to cross the English Channel to France. Although the border has been reopened, the backlog is expected to last several days.

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Saturday. Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Saturday. ⁣

"A sad Christmas is coming, with hunger, in which people will cry as they don't have anything to eat," says one Mexico City street vendor, after local authorities ordered the closure of local businesses due to a rise in Covid-19 cases. Some street vendors attempt to defy orders to keep selling, but without success, says 80-year-old Julieta Muñoz: "I haven't sold a single item, nothing in the last four days."

Christmas trees compete for attention outside the White House and the Capitol in Washington, DC, as the US capital gears up for Christmas celebrations.

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Friday. Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Friday.⁣ ⁣

"We Wish You a Merry Christmas" is a traditional English Christmas carol of unknown origin that is believed to date from the 16th century. It was sung by children in Victorian times as they went about performing carols door to door on Christmas Eve, hoping for sweet rewards.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resists calls to tighten coronavirus restrictions over Christmas, as London faces stricter measures and concern grows about rising case number, but encourages people across the UK to "think hard and in detail about the days ahead and whether you can do more to protect yourself and others".