In exactly five months millions of people around the world will celebrate Christmas… or maybe not.

If Santas and elves from Europe, Australia and Japan have their way, the date of Christmas could be changed from December 25 to either December 24 or even January 6 or 7.

This controversial topic was discussed this week at the 50th International Santa Claus convention at which 160 Santas and elves gathered in Copenhagen, Denmark.

In most places around the world, Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25. However, the Armenian Apostolic Church, predominantly in South Western Asia, observes Christmas on January 6, while some old rite or old style Eastern Orthodox churches celebrate Christmas on January 7.

The date as a birth date for Jesus is merely traditional and is not widely considered to be his actual date of birth.

The debate has raised the eyebrows of some Christians in Durban who say the religious significance of Christmas always takes a back seat and should not be tolerated.

Bishop Lawrence Naidoo of the New Apostolic Church (NAC) in KwaZulu-Natal said all that mattered to him was that Jesus was born, crucified, resurrected, ascended and he that will be returning - the specific date is not important.

“If December 25 is the date given and accepted for centuries, I don’t see a problem with that,” he said.