Celebrating Christmas Day in China

Christmas Day is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 that marks and honors the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. People often celebrate from December 24 - the Christmas Eve.

Modern customs of the holiday include gift-giving, church celebrations, and the display of various decorations—including the Christmas tree, lights, mistletoe, nativity scenes and holly. Santa Claus (also referred to as Father Christmas, although the two figures have different origins) is a popular mythological figure often associated with bringing gifts at Christmas.

As the Christmas approaches, department stores, shopping malls, official buildings will be decorated with Christmas trees (Christmas trees are usually decorated with paper chains, paper flowers, and paper lanterns), colorful lights and even Chinese lanterns. Christmas carols can be heard over the noise of the crowds and the Chinese "Father Christmas" helps to make the scene complete.

It is different from the weaterners that the Chinese family often skips the large meal - Christmas tree, but everyone still exchanges gifts. Exchanging Christmas Cards and Gifts is a very important part of Chinese Christmas Day. It is a chance to strengthen the relationships between friends, families and loved ones by exchanging Christmas cards and gifts. For many young Chinese people, Christmas Day is more like another Valentine’s Day rather than the family-get-together of western counties. They invite their loved ones for celebratory dinner, exchange gifts and enjoy a romantic night.

Chinese Christmas Day is also an occasion to share goodwill and be generous to people in need like orphans, lonely old people, the sick and homeless people. Many Chinese people will bring gifts to orphanage, Old People’s Home and hospitals to encourage these people.

As in western culture, Christmas day was a time to spend with family. Judy recalls sitting down with relatives to a large meal on Christmas day, but it could be served at either lunch or dinner. Instead of turkey, her father would prepare foods such as roast barbecued pork, chicken, and soup with wood ears. Reminiscing, she says the meal had more in common with a Chinese New Year's banquet than a traditional Christmas dinner.