A Dark Christmas in Iraq

Baskets brim with glitter-dusted ornaments. A 4-foot Santa Claus doll towers over the cash register. Rows of decorated trees and red plastic poinsettias line the shop.

The only thing missing? Customers.

"All the Christians have left the country," said store manager Saif Sadi, adding that sales this season were down 75%.

After a painful year of church bombings, death threats and assassinations, Iraq's 800,000 Christians have all but canceled Christmas.

"Officially, we are not celebrating this year," said Father Peter Haddad, who is in charge of the Virgin Mary Church in Baghdad.

Fearing insurgent attacks, bishops across the predominantly Muslim country recently announced that they would call off the usual Christmas festivals and celebrations. Some churches will also forgo Christmas Eve Mass, a step unheard of even during Saddam Hussein's regime.

Attendance has plummeted. During the holiday season, Haddad's church would have been packed with more than 700 people. Last Sunday, only 27 brave worshipers showed up.

Christians have lived in Iraq for hundreds of years, enjoying peaceful relations with Muslims for most of that time. But after the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003, insurgents began targeting the community, accusing Christians of cooperating with American "infidels" by working as interpreters, house cleaners and merchants. Harassment by Islamists became so bad that many Christian women took to wearing head scarves to blend in.

"We are the agents of no one, and we don't accept being linked to the occupiers because of our religion," Kirkuk Archbishop Luis Saco recently told parishioners as he announced the cancellation of Christmas celebrations in the northern city. "Blowing up our churches and frightening our sons will not solve the problems of Iraq."

Christian leaders estimate that as many as 50,000 Christians have fled Iraq since last year, mostly to Jordan and Syria.

Christians say the attacks -- including the coordinated bombings of five churches in August and drive-by shootings of Christian liquor store owners -- have spoiled what is typically the most joyous time of year for their community.

In the past, George Goryal, 50, a father of four, celebrated Christmas by taking the family on a picnic. This year, the Goryals are staying indoors.