How does China celebrate Christmas?
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Christmas decorations outside the World Trade Center in Beijing
Staying in China this Christmas? Read on to find out a bit more about what to expect!
Christmas is not celebrated at all by the vast majority of Chinese, since only 1% of Chinese are Christian and most aren’t influenced that much by Western culture.
However, young children might learn about it in their English classes, and in major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai young people sometimes celebrate. Western culture is more accessible there, and of course, it’s fashionable! This means that Christmas is a holiday for hanging out with your friends or partner, not your family. Young people might shop, go for a meal together (though not a traditional Christmas meal as most of those foods are virtually unheard of in China) or sing karaoke.
Shopping malls and supermarkets are the most festive places, and many have Christmas trees, but because they’re seen more as general decorations rather than specifically for Christmas, they often stay up for Chinese New Year and beyond!
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Interestingly, there is one unusual Christmas tradition unique to China... giving apples!
In Chinese culture, it is common for auspicious meanings to be given to items that sound similar to lucky words. For example, in Chinese, the word for blessings is ‘fu’ (福) and the word for bat (蝠) is also pronounced ‘fu’. Therefore, bats are a lucky symbol.
The same has happened with Christmas Eve. In Chinese, it is called ‘Ping’An Ye’ (平安夜), which means ‘peaceful evening’. Apples are called ‘pingguo’ (苹果), so because they sound similar they’ve taken on a lucky meaning for that day. You can buy gift-wrapped apples in some supermarkets and fruit shops in the major cities where Christmas is celebrated. Some farmers even put a kind of stencil on the apple so that a festive decorative design forms on the apple as it grows!
The design on this apple says 'Merry Christmas'! (圣诞快乐). Photo: Xinhua/Twitter
So if you’re new to China and celebrating your first Christmas here, be prepared for it to be a bit different to at home! However you’re celebrating, a very merry Christmas from us here at Cultural Keys!
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Are you interested in learning more about the traditional culture of China, and perhaps experiencing it for yourself?
Cultural Keys, a registered company in Hong Kong, Beijing and the UK, was founded in 2013 by three expats who were inspired by how difficult it was to access authentic traditional culture in Beijing.
Since then, Cultural Keys has helped hundreds of people do exactly that.
Cultural Keys is run on the love and passion we have for traditional Chinese culture. We believe 100% in making the beauty, wisdom and traditions of Chinese culture available to everyone. Whether at our culture centre, at your school or office, or at iconic locations around China, when you are with Cultural Keys you truly have the opportunity to unlock the potential of China!
Cultural Keys Chinese Culture Centre
191 (North Door A), Xiaopu North Road
Xiaopu Village, Songzhuang
Tongzhou, Beijing
北京市, 通州区, 宋庄镇,
小堡村, 小堡北街191号 (北门-A)
(蓝天幼儿园南一个路口)
+86 18611558781
010 89595202
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