Information for Christmas in China
Christianity is still an unofficial religion in China, with only about 1 percent of the population reporting themselves as baptized Christians, according to the Holiday Spot website. During the winter months these 10 million Chinese privately observe the birth of Jesus on Dec. 25, which is not a legal holiday in the country, in ways that closely resemble traditions of the West as well as the gift-giving customs the Chinese have celebrated during their Spring Festival for hundreds of years.
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Santa Claus
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In China, Christian children call Santa Claus Dun Che Lao Ren (pronounced dwyn-chuh-lau-oh-run) which means "Christmas Old Man." On Christmas Eve muslin stockings are hung by children in the hopes that Dun Che Lao Ren will fill them with gifts and treats for them to find the next morning.
Gift Giving
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As in other Christian areas of the world, gift giving is a long-standing tradition associated with Christmas time. Chinese Christians exchange gifts to express their care and respect for family and loved ones. This gift giving tradition corresponds to a similar custom of the Chinese New Year, now known as the Sprin- Festival, where children receive new clothes, toys and firecrackers.
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Christmas Trees
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Christmas trees in China are quite different than their Western counterparts and called "Trees of Light" by Christians who display them in their homes. These Christmas icons are often made out of plastic and decorated with paper chains, lanterns and flowers. These paper decorations are much more popular than traditional glass ornaments of the West and are often made by the family members each year.
Decorations
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As in other areas of the world that celebrate Christmas in the weeks up to Dec. 25, Chinese Christians often decorate their homes in honor of Jesus' birth during the winter months. Christian famlies kick off weeks of Christmas celebrations by decorating their homes with beautiful lights, paper flowers and other festive, but discreet, decorations.
Midnight Mass
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Attending church regularly is a common practice among native Chinese Christians and attending a midnight mass on Christmas Eve is no exception. Even though Christmas is not a national holiday, the popularity of midnight mass has overpowered many Catholic churches in China to the point that they cannot hold everyone who wishes to attend.
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References
- Photo Credit merry christmas - christmas tree - aged paper image by samantha grandy from Fotolia.com
