Christmas in China - How It Is Celebrated in China

Christmas has been steadily gaining popularity in China in recent years. In the biggest cities, it has been a big commercial success and a newly adopted festive tradition. However Christmas is not celebrated the same everywhere or by everyone in the vast 'Middle Kingdom'...

How People in China Celebrate Christmas

Tourists

Tourists will find celebrations going on in most major destinations, and domestic transportation and hotel rooms costs are some of the best of the year due to low season in China. Many of the larger hotels and some Western restaurants offer Christmas dinner.

Expats

Expats (from countries and cultures who celebrate Christmas) decorate their homes and try to generate an atmosphere as much like at home as possible. Many feel particularly homesick at this time of year.

Purchasing the trappings of Christmas is becoming increasingly possible in China, especially in the big cities where big malls sell wrapping paper, cards, etc., and there are import stores for Christmas ingredients. Online shopping is increasingly the cheapest was to get e.g. a Christmas tree and decorations or even a turkey delivered to your door.

Expats hold Christmas parties in their homes and often in their schools if they are teachers. A Christmas dinner with family, or at least friends if family are far away, is seen as very important by most. 

Chinese People in General

The commercial Christmas has become a major annual event in the major cities in China. On the streets and in department stores, there are Christmas trees, lights and decorations. You'll hear Christmas music playing from the end of November. Christmas carols can be heard over the noise of the crowds shopping for the Christmas season sales and promotions. A Chinese “Father Christmas” (圣诞老人 Shèngdàn Lǎorén /shnng-dan laoww-rnn/) helps to make the scene complete.

You'll see many of the same decorations up: Christmas wreaths, Merry Christmas banners, colorful lights, and the same sorts of ornaments. Most of these decorations bought in the West are made in China anyway!

For young people, it's a chance to get together with friends and have Christmas parties. These might be held at a friend's house, McDonald's, karaoke cafe, restaurant, or bar. There is a festive atmosphere, and people enjoy the decorations and unusual music. Many younger people see it as a romantic holiday for couples to exchange gifts and date.

Most Chinese people who celebrate Christmas do so as a happy occasion for get-togethers of friends, relatives, and couples, without any religious attachment.

Chinese Christians

The Christians generally celebrate Christmas religiously, sometimes more so than in the West. While most Chinese people don't realize that Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ or attach a religious significance to the festivities, many of China's Christians celebrate Christmas as the top event of the year, outranking even Chinese New Year, preparing songs and activities weeks before.

Christians in China celebrate by going to special church services, which are typically packed to capacity. On Christmas Eve, there are choral performances, and the congregation puts on dance and drama performances. It is called ‘Peaceful Evening' (Ping'an Ye 平安夜 from the translation of the carol "Silent Night").

An unusual apple eating tradition has evolved in the country. The word apple (苹果 píngguǒ /ping-gwor/) sounds like the word "peace" in Mandarin, so people eat apples.

Carol singing in the streets is rarely seen, though it's popular in Christian's houses, where the karaoke machine, ever popular in China, may be employed.

Christmas Varies Greatly Across China!

In Mainland China

Christmas is not a public holiday in China because China doesn't have much Christian cultural influence, and most Chinese people are not Christian (only 1% officially).

In the Mainland, in recent years, Christmas has become more and more popular and is celebrated with interest in large cities where a large number of expats live and Western influence in greater. These cities are generally along or near China's east coast. There are more Christians there (perhaps 5% in some areas).

However, in smaller cities and countryside areas in China's interior, there are far fewer Christians, and the people have had less contact with foreigners, so Christmas is sometimes a foreign mystery, especially for the older generations.

The further west in China, the less Christmas is celebrated except for big cities such as Chengdu and Chongqing. In the far west where a lot of Muslims and more devout Buddhists live, such as in Xinjiang and Tibet, Christmas is celebrated least.

In Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan

It is a two day public holiday in Hong Kong and Macau, due to the British and Portuguese influence.

In Hong Kong, Christmas Day (December 25) and Boxing Day (December 26) are both official public holidays. Banks are closed on these days. Boxing Day is a British tradition. It is a day for shopping for after-holiday sales and for employers to give gifts to employees.

In Macau, Christmas Eve (December 24) and Christmas Day are official public holidays. Both days and December 26 as well are bank holidays.

In Taiwan, Christmas is generally celebrated more than in Mainland China but less than in HK and Macau. See below.

Christmas in Major Tourist Areas Around China

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of the best places in the world to go for a festive Christmas atmosphere, with its two-day public holiday. The American CNN television network named the Hong Kong WinterFest as one of the Top 10 places to spend Christmas in the whole world. Hong Kong is known for fantastic Christmas displays, fine food, and Christmas shopping. More on Christmas in Hong Kong>>>

Beijing

Christmas in Beijing is celebrated with keen interest by some of Beijing's younger generation. Usually it is celebrated as a happy occasion for social get-togethers and giving presents. However, most people work on Christmas day unless it happens to fall on a weekend. Christmas in Beijing is mainly commercial; it is a busy shopping season. Some of the major hotels have special Christmas dinners, and people can also be reminded of the original meaning of Christmas at churches in Beijing. More on Christmas in Beijing>>>

Shanghai

Shanghai is a center for world trade and a place where East meets West. In a modern, highly-developed city, smart shopkeepers don't lose any opportunity to sell their products. Most shops in the downtown area decorate their shops to attract visitors in the holiday period. Christmas carols are heard everywhere. More on Christmas in Shanghai>>>

Guangzhou

It sometimes seems that Christmas is more popular than Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) in Guangzhou, especially to the young people. There are three things they love to do: have Christmas parties, go shopping, and enjoy Christmas dinner. Why not go Christmas shopping in Guangzhou? more>>

Guilin

We at China Highlights are based in Guilin, one of those smaller cities, where there are fewer Christians and Christmas is less celebrated. Famous for its karst landscape, Guilin draws many foreign and domestic tourists, but very few in the winter and at Christmas time. More on December Weather, Things to Do, and Christmas in Guilin>>>

Taiwan

Christmas is an unofficial holiday in Taiwan, but only because it coincides with Constitution Day, the anniversary of the signing of Taiwan's constitution in 1947. While its 5% Christian population celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in churches and homes across the island, the majority enjoy the decorations and displays in shops, and general commercialism. More on December Weather, Things to Do, and Christmas in Taiwan>>>

How to Say "Merry Christmas" in Chinese

• 圣诞快乐！ Shèngdàn kuàilè! /shnng-dan kwhy-ler/ 'Holy-birth happy!'

The Top Three Chinese Christmas Songs

Apart from (classic) English carols and pop songs the Chinese songs you are most likely to hear playing are the Chinese versions (to the same tunes) of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas", "Silent Night", and "Jingle Bells". Lyrics in characters and pinyin, and literal translations, are provided below.

Women Zhu Ni Shengdan Kuaile — 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas'

Or...

Ping'an Ye — 'Silent Night'

Dingding Dang — “Jingle Bells”

Touring China at Christmas Time

If you come to China at Christmas, you should go to one of the biggest cities to appreciate the unique atmosphere. Hong Kong is our top recommendation. If you venture north as well, you could enjoy skiing around Beijing and the start of the Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin.

China tourism low season: The end of December is either busy or a winding down period of work for most mainland Chinese before their big winter holidays at Chinese New Year. So domestic transportation and room rates are lower since it is tourist low season. 

International flights are more expensive due to students, overseas workers and foreigners travelling during the Christmas season overseas.

Recommended Tours:

• The Flavor of China — Enjoy warming food in China's winter (and potentially Christmas food and events) from Beijing to Hong Kong.
• Harbin Highlights and Ski Experience — Amazing ice sculptures and skiing (add this to the tour above or customize to your requirements)

Contact us for consultancy or a quote on a unique Christmas in China trip.