Christmas in China 2018 (How It's Celebrated)

Christmas has been steadily gaining popularity in mainland China in the last two decades. In the biggest cities, it has been a big commercial success and a newly adopted festive tradition. However, most people in China do not celebrate as people do in the West...

How Most People in China Celebrate Christmas

Most Chinese people do not celebrate Christmas at all. This is especially true in rural and minority areas, where Western and Christian influence are negligible. Christmas is not a public holiday in Mainland China.

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, over the noise of the crowds shopping for Christmas season promotions. A Chinese "Father Christmas" (圣诞老人 Shèngdàn Lǎorén /shnng-dan laoww-rnn/) helps to make the scene complete.

Decorations are put up anywhere that wants to participate in the "international" celebration: hotels, businesses, schools, universities (particularly foreign language departments), even some tourist attractions.

Most Chinese people who celebrate Christmas do so as a happy occasion for get-togethers of friends, relatives, and couples. Christmas parties might be held at a friend's house, McDonald's, a karaoke cafe, restaurant, or bar. There is a festive atmosphere, and people enjoy the decorations and unusual music. Many younger Chinese see it as a romantic holiday for couples to exchange gifts and date.

Christmas Traditions in China — Practiced by a Minority

Chinese Christians — How They Celebrate

China's Christians (only 1% of the population officially) 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 any religious significance to the (foreign) 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. Christmas Eve is called ‘Peaceful Evening' (Ping'an Ye 平安夜 from the translation of the carol "Silent Night").

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.

Tourists — How to Enjoy Christmas if You're Traveling in China

Tourists will find celebrations going on in most major cities, and domestic transportation and hotel rooms costs are some of the lowest of the year due to it being low season in China. Many of the larger hotels and some Western restaurants offer traditional Christmas dinners.

Expats — What Foreigners in China Do at Christmas

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 and Christmas markets 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.

Christmas Gifts in China

Generally, gifts are not given at Christmas in China, except among expats. Often malls will have a Santa who hands out gifts to children, but these are usually opened the same day. There is no tradition of waiting for Christmas Day to open presents.

An unusual apple giving tradition has evolved in the country. Ping in the word 'apple' (苹果 píngguǒ /ping-gwor/) sounds like the word 'peace' in Mandarin, which is used for Christmas Eve ('Peaceful Evening'), so people give and eat apples, particularly on Christmas Eve. Apples are sold with messages printed on the skin (in Chinese): 'love', love hearts, and 'peace' are popular messages.

Christmas cards (especially a variety of good ones without English mistakes etc.) can be difficult to find in China, but the situation is far better in big cities and online. E-cards are WeChat messages are popular ways of greeting each other. 

See our selection of Chinese Christmas e-cards.

Christmas in Major Tourist Areas Around China

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, Christmas Day (December 25) and Boxing Day (December 26) are both official public holiday. 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.

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 on Christmas in Guangzhou

Guilin

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. 

Taiwan

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

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. 

Macau

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

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 shown 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 (Top Tips)

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.

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