From Christmas trees in shopping malls to a Christmas village in a northernmost town, here’s how the holiday is celebrated across China
Christmas may not be regarded as a religious occasion or even a family holiday in most parts of China, but every December, the festive vibe permeates the urban landscape, with Christmas trees, twinkling lights, and inflatable Santas popping up in stores, malls, and restaurants. Since the early 1990s, the exotic charm of the West’s biggest holiday has drawn many young people to join the festivities—and even create a few new traditions of their own.
Despite Christmas’s surprisingly long history in China, dating back to the seventh century, whether to celebrate the holiday has often been a topic of debate, with some criticizing it as a form of cultural invasion. In recent years, various schools and local education commissions have launched campaigns discouraging the celebration of foreign holidays on campus. However, others argue that the popularity of Lunar New Year celebrations overseas, which often attract big local crowds, demonstrates that openness and inclusiveness are expressions of cultural confidence. Christmas is still an official public holiday in the country’s Hong Kong and Macao regions, where residents enjoy a two-day break to celebrate the season.
China’s connection to Christmas runs deeper than many might expect, with almost 80 percent of the world’s Christmas decorations manufactured in Yiwu, a city in Zhejiang province known as the “commodities capital of the world.” For the retail and restaurant industries, the holiday season provides a much-needed boost in a sluggish economy.
But in the end, as people wrap up a year’s hard work, what can beat a little holiday cheer? Here’s a collection of photographs showcasing Christmas celebrations across China:
China has created a new tradition of gifting apples on Christmas Eve. The word for apple, pingguo, meaning “peaceful fruit” in Mandarin, makes for a fitting gift on this day, known as ping’anye, meaning “a peaceful night.”
Beijicun, literally “North Pole Village,” is located in China’s northeastern Heilongjiang province. Designed by a British team, it aims to offer visitors the most authentic Christmas experience in China.
The village adopts a Christmas theme every winter, with a Santa’s cottage, Santa’s post office, and reindeer (an animal traditionally raised by the Evenk ethnic minority group)
The village welcomed over 10,000 visitors during the Lunar New Year holiday in February, despite its remote location
Visitors can participate in a variety of winter activities, from snowmobile rides and curling to ice fishing and relaxing in hot springs at the resort
Macao, a former Portuguese colony, celebrates the 25th anniversary of its return to Chinese administration this December. Its iconic Ruins of Saint Paul are adorned with Christmas decorations, attracting visitors from around the world.
Shopping malls across China are putting up Christmas decorations to boost traffic
A mall in Nanning, Guangxi
A high-rise building in Hangzhou sees large inflatable Santa Clauses “climbing the walls to deliver gifts”
Xi’an, home to the Terracotta Army, set up a Christmas town in its downtown area this year
Restaurants and bakeries are coming up with Christmas-themed dishes to attract customers
All images courtesy of VCG
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