Do Chinese People Celebrate Christmas: As in the rest of the world, Christmas Day in China is every year on December 25th. However, the country’s Christmas traditions are relatively young and it is mostly celebrated as a commercial season rather than a religious day. Here are some more interesting facts about how the Chinese celebrate Christmas. Let’s read why do chinese people celebrate christmas.
Do Chinese People Celebrate Christmas?
Although Christmas and Christianity have long been banned in China, commercialized Christmas has become more popular in recent years. While you’ll still see classic Christmas decorations like Christmas trees and lights, the holiday has developed its own uniquely Chinese feel. Here are six fascinating facts about Christmas in China, from Christmas playing the sax to giving out apples on Christmas Eve.
1) Christmas is not a religious holiday.
In many parts of the world, Christmas is a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. But observers estimate that only 3-5% of the Chinese population is Christian, making Christmas a more secular season of shopping and celebration. Taking advantage of the festive atmosphere, commercial establishments and malls attract shoppers with seasonal discounts.
2) Christmas Day is celebrated as Valentine’s Day.
In Western countries, Christmas is celebrated with family, but in China it is like Valentine’s Day. It is a happy day for young people to go out with their loved ones and celebrate with small gifts. They also spend time with friends to go to the cinema, karaoke or shopping.
3) Christmas is not a public holiday.
Due to the first two circumstances, Christmas is not an official holiday in China and you may be asked to report to work on that day. Students may not be resting either! But in Hong Kong and Macau, where British and Portuguese influences are strong, people enjoy a two-day public holiday every year.
4) There is a Christmas village in China.
Beiji Village is China’s first Christmas theme park. It is located in the northernmost arctic part of China in the Mohen countryside. In this village you can see the northern lights, ride a sleigh, play in the snow, visit Santa’s house and experience Christmas like never before. Christmas Village Disney Snow Sculpture Park in Beiji Village, Mohi.
5) It’s about Santa’s sisters and friends.
Forget Santa’s reindeer or helper elves, this is about his siblings and friends in China. In malls, Santa Claus is accompanied by women who dress up in fun Christmas-themed clothes. Chinese Christmases also come out with other Christmases.
6) A Chinese city produces 60% of the world’s Christmas decorations!
The city of Yiwu in Zhejiang province is the main source of Christmas decorations in the world. This city is popular because of wholesale, affordable price and huge market.
In 2012, there were more than 750 companies producing Christmas products in Yiwu. The rest of the world can thank Yiwu for Christmas! Yiwu Christmas Market is the largest export market for Christmas products China.
7) A Chinese picture of Santa Claus playing a saxophone.
We often see Santa Claus mascots giving gifts or candies to children, but in China, Santa Clauses are often shown playing the saxophone or French horn. There is no known explanation of the roots of this tradition, but perhaps from a Chinese perspective, Santa Claus playing a saxophone and playing beautiful music seems romantic.
One Chinese journalist, Helen Gao, wrote: “I think it may have something to do with the fact that the saxophone is apparently a Western instrument that matches the image of Santa Claus and is portable so that Santa Claus can play Christmas music. anywhere. That sounds like reason enough for the Chinese to have these two hook up?”
8) Nicely wrapped peace apples are a common gift.
A common gift in China on Christmas Eve is the Apple of Peace wrapped in good cellophane. In Mandarin, Christmas celebration or Eve is sometimes translated as “Ping’an Ye”, which literally means “Quiet Night”, just like a Christmas carol.
Apple is “Ping guo” in Chinese which sounds like give peace or give apples. If you eat an apple, you will have peace and a sense of security all year round. Peaceful apples packed in pretty bags are a common Christmas gift Eve.
9) Beijing holds SantaCon and other Christmas celebrations!
If you live in a major city like Beijing or Shanghai, or are part of a foreign community (foreigners living in China), chances are Christmas time is a mix of many cultures for you. China’s international communities are creative in making the holiday festive for both foreigners and Chinese.
In Beijing, you may have heard of SantaCon! Although limited due to concerns about Covid, SantaCon is a place to “dress up like Father Christmas, run around Beijing for hours, give presents, sing songs, have strangers sit on your lap and decide who is mean or nice”.
Beijingers look forward to the exciting sight of hundreds of Santa Clauses running down the street! Shanghai hosts many Christmas markets every year! Often with a European theme, they sell traditional holiday treats like Glühwein (feathers) and other baked goods and cakes, as well as holiday symbols like evergreen wreaths. Even when there is no snow or a week-long holiday, Shanghai residents brave the cold with Christmas sales, parties and Christmas events. These are just some of the most exciting things to do in China. We at China Admissions are an international Chinese speaking team.
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6 facts you probably didn’t know about Christmas in China
1. Christmas in China is more than Valentine’s Day Christmas in mainland China is not a public holiday and has nothing to do with religion. It is a newer day, like Valentine’s Day, rather than a religious holiday. But you still see malls and streets in big cities full of Christmas decorations, trees, Santas and carols.
A shopping center in Xi’an once built a huge 65 square meter gingerbread house, while a 9 meter Christmas tree (the tallest in Asia) was made of LEGO! Despite the incredible decorations, Christmas is a quieter day to go out with friends than a family gathering. Instead of going to church, locals prefer to shop or skate or go to karaoke bars and movie theaters.
Newlyweds can also see it as a romantic day to give gifts and express their love for each other. Department stores take advantage of this and host annual events and big discounts, and locals love to party and get in on the bargain. If you’re in Hong Kong or Macau, you’ll get a two-day public holiday at Christmas and a more traditional Christmas Day, as these areas are more influenced by their British and Portuguese history.
2. It is customary to eat an apple on Christmas Eve It’s not just another apple – it’s an apple of peace.
One of the most common Chinese Christmas traditions for young people is to send apples wrapped in cellophane as gifts to friends. Apples are also often sold with printed messages such as “love”, “peace” and “Merry Christmas”. This tradition developed because “Christmas Eve” means “ping’an ye” in Mandarin, which means “peaceful night”.
The Mandarin Chinese word for apple is pronounced “ping guo,” which sounds similar to peace. The Chinese love their homophones, so locals say that eating an apple will bless you with a safe and peaceful year.
3. Santa Claus has siblings – no elves – and lives at the North Pole in China
Although we usually hear stories about Santa Claus and his helping elves, the situation is a little different in China. When you see people dressed as Santa in malls, you will see women dressed with him, known as Santa’s sisters. Santa Claus is known as “Sheng dan Lao ren” in Mandarin, which translates to “Old Christmas”, and is considered a non-religious figure who lives in a fabulous arctic Christmas village at the North Pole of China.
The Christmas theme park is located in beautiful countryside outside Mohen, the northernmost city in China. It’s even modeled after Santa’s official home village of Rovaniemi, which includes Santa’s house and post office. It is a wonderful place to visit with a magical snowy landscape and the chance to see the Northern Lights…definitely for Christmas lovers.
4. Chinese Santa Claus plays the saxophone
Chinese Santa is no ordinary jolly man – he plays the saxophone! As you wander through the shops and streets, you’ll often see a big red-clad Santa blaring a saxophone or even a trumpet or horn. This Chinese Christmas tradition is completely unique in the country, and no one knows why.
One theory is that the Chinese Santa Claus is seen as a romantic figure and the saxophone is quite a charming instrument! It is also common to see all kinds of images of Santa, such as Santa dressed in traditional Chinese clothes… Why not make Saint Nick a musician too!
5. China is home to the “Christmas Capital of the World”.
Located in Zhejiang province, Yiwu city is known as the “Christmas Capital of the World”. Why? The city is home to more than 600 factories that specialize in making most of the lights and decorations found in shops, homes and streets around the world. The Christmas Basket Wolves are apparently from Yiwu!
6. There is a fight in China over Christmas
Although Christmas celebrations are growing in popularity, not everyone in China is happy about them. Nationalists say the celebration is a tool of foreign imperialism and a threat to China’s own traditions. They want the Chinese to stop celebrating Western holidays and support their own culture.
However, most Chinese simply see the day as an excuse to have fun with friends and do not focus on the traditional Christian message of Christmas. However, China is home to approximately 68 million Christians (5% of China’s population) who face religious restrictions and cannot freely pray or sing religious songs in public. The commercial version of Christmas is currently in China.
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