Christmas, another Chinese festival to be celebrated
Christmas, once was simply a foreign affair, has now become a big business in China－even during the global economic slowdown.
On Christmas Eve, traffic controls were needed in Xi-shiku Catholic Church located in west Beijing as too many worshippers and visitors crowded here, among which Wang Peng, 29, a stock broker, is one. Even he is not a Catholic, he thought Church to be the best place to spend Christmas as people can not only get a taste of different culture but also get relaxed and meet friends here.
Yan Yan, a 30-year-old marketing director in Beijing, said: “It is a festival to hang out with friends and have lots of fun.” Yan started decorating her apartment days ago with a tree, Santa toys and candles. She has planned a Chinese-style party for 15 friends to celebrate the biggest Western festival of the year.
Dai Wenming, a cultural critic in Shanghai, said, Chinese consider Spring Festival as a family reunion and see Christmas more as a time to hang out with friends. Christmas is a good opportunity to express themselves for those Chinese under 35.
“Young people think it is very fashionable,” said Sun Jing, a 19-year-old student who lives in Beijing. “Last year my friends went to KTV.” This year, she attended a party organized by her teacher.
In the places of downtown Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing, department stores and restaurants were festooned with big snowy festival decorations; and on December 24th, people were busy shopping at discount prices and eating out.
Grandma’s Kitchen, an American home-style restaurant in Beijing, sold out 20 tables for the 218-yuan ($32) meal on two days before Christmas. Most of their customers on Christmas Eve were Chinese.
Now Christmas, which supposed to be romantic, is celebrated as another Valentine’s Day by Chinese young people.
The gloomy economy doesn’t affect expatriates to celebrate Christmas. “The bad economy won’t affect my shopping because I don’t think we have been affected in Beijing, except maybe a bit with the exchange rate,” said Euryale Chatelard from France, who works for a French bank in Beijing.
Fanny Landreu’s life didn’t change much. Her company just moved into a new apartment and they spent a bit on some nice furniture, which was her Christmas treat. She was more practical about gift-giving this year. Even when the times are good, her family never goes overboard on presents for their kids.
“Things (for expats) will largely continue as normal,” he said.
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