Few signs of Christmas cheer in the Jewish state

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - A glimmer of tinsel, a miniature Santa Claus and a cluster of plastic fir trees in a shop window are among the few signs that Christmas is on its way in the land of Israel.

December 25, the anniversary of the birth of Jesus, is a regular working day in the Jewish state and passes with little fanfare.

While residents in Arab Christian areas such as Nazareth, Jesus's home town, decorate trees and hang lights on homes and churches, and Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank receives many pilgrims, life in most of Israel carries on as normal.

That makes it hard on the many Christians among large number of migrant laborers who have come to Israel to work. As most live in Jewish towns and cities, their main religious holiday arrives with barely any sense of Christmas.

"It is a little bit sad, a little bit lonely," said Hilda Laconsay, 35, from the Philippines who works as a carer for the elderly. "There is no Christmas feeling here."

There are an estimated 80,000 legal foreign workers inside Israel, and a further 100,000 living illegally whose permits have expired or been revoked by the authorities. A large percentage of them are Christians from Asia and Africa.

As far as Israeli citizens go, there are about 145,000 Christians in the Jewish state, most of them Arabs, of a population of just over 7 million. Almost 80 percent of Israelis are Jewish and the rest Muslim.

In Israel's main business city, Tel Aviv, many migrant workers live around the central bus station. Inside the terminal, some vendors sell Christmas decorations and several shops have tried to create some festive cheer.

Daniel Seah, 51, a Catholic from Singapore, is one of the few non-Israeli shop owners selling Christian souvenirs.

His store, on what has become known as "Manila Avenue," is popular with Filipino workers who flock to his part of town on Saturdays, the day of rest in Israel.

"For the last few years we have organized an event before Christmas where we come together here on Manila Avenue and dance and sing carols," he said. "I will be playing music. No slow numbers though -- it will only bring tears to the eyes."

RUSSIAN CHRISTMAS