A man plays the accordion as people gathered during Christmas celebration in the town of Richev, some 180 miles south of Minsk, Belarus, on Jan. 7.

A picture taken through mirrors shows a woman applying make-up on a man wearing a costume, during a Christmas celebration in Richev, on Monday.

A woman gives a drink to a man as they attend a Christmas celebration in the town of Richev, some 180 miles south of Minsk on Monday.

People celebrate the pagan rite called 'Kolyadki' in the village of Zhazhelka, some 30 miles east of Minsk, on Monday. Kolyadki is a pagan winter holiday, which over the centuries has merged with Orthodox Christmas celebrations in Ukraine and some parts of Belarus.

People sit on a horse-drawn cart as they attend Christmas celebrations in the town of Richev, on Monday.