Christmas in China = Valentine’s Day+Halloween+New Year
For Christians in China, the Christmas holiday is a family-oriented commemoration of the birth of Jesus, not unlike many other places. The majority of Chinese young adults, however, celebrate Christmas in China as a fun evening out with friends and find the legend of the jolly white-bearded man flying around delivering toys to kids somewhat incomprehensible.
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.
In other words, a holiday scene similar to Chinese New Year here in the mainland.
Young Chinese flock with friends to one of many holiday theme decorated shopping malls and restaurants (the feel of Halloween) to enjoy the festivities, exchange gifts (the feel of Valentine’s Day) and celebrate wrapping up the old as well as kicking off the new (the feel of New Year’s Eve).
No wonder it’s so much fun.
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.