Nathan Deuel is a writer based in Istanbul. He is at work on a book about walking from New York to New Orleans. His writing has also been published by Slate, True/Slant, The Village Voice, and TheAtlantic.com.

After a string of terror attacks and threats—including October’s devastating al Qaeda rampage in Baghdad—Christians in Iraq have fled to the north, or nearby countries. Christmas morning, Nathan Deuel talked to refugees cautiously observing the holy day.