World Advent Calendar

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Day 3

China

Happy Christmas

What is the most popular decoration in China?

Answer

Christians in China decorate their homes and trees with colourful paper lanterns.

Inside the lanterns they place lit candles which shine radiantly through the coloured paper.

China is 8 hours ahead of the UK

For many Christians and non-Christians, Christmas is referred to as Shang Dan Jiang or “Holy Birth Festival.”

If you walked around a major Chinese city 20 years ago, you probably wouldn’t have seen many signs of Christmas. This is because Christmas is a Christian holiday and not many Chinese people are Christian. Most Chinese people are Buddhists.

China is gradually beginning to adopt Christmas celebrations especially in major cities where Christmas festivities are becoming more popular year by year.

Many of the large department stores are decorated and Christmas carols are played.

Christmas Day is not a public holiday like it is in the UK. The children go to school and the adults go to work on Christmas Day.

The main winter festival in China is the Chinese New Year which takes place toward the end of January.

In Hong Kong, the annual Jiandong Christmas Light Festival on the 19 December, marks the beginning of the festivities of Christmas.

Christmas trees are known as "Trees Of Light". They are decorated with paper lanterns, paper flowers, and paper chains.

Chinese children hang up stockings in the hope that
Chen-dan-lao-ren, the Chinese version of Father Christmas (Santa Claus), will visit and leave them presents.
With thanks to Grace Hsu

In mainland China, the way of spelling Father Christmas is ‘sheng dan lao ren‘.
With thanks to Cuihu Academy home school in southwest China

Chinese children don’t get presents from friends and relatives at Christmas; after all, they get money at Chinese New Year at the end of January or February.
With thanks toCuihu Academy home school in southwest China

The biggest celebration and the most important celebration is the Chinese New Year. The New Year begins sometime in January or February, the date moves each year as it is based on the lunar calendar. Everywhere in China is decorated with colourful lanterns for Chinese New Year celebrations.

Interesting facts

Even though China is not a country that traditonally celebrates Christmas, it is fast becoming the biggest production base for world Christmas gifts.

The city of Wulumuqi in China is 1,400 miles from any coastline – no city in the world is farther from water.

Click here for facts about China

Bonus country!

We have slipped in another country for you to find out about

Click here to find out about Christmas in ……

22 days till Christmas!

R U excited?
I am!

How many symbols of Christmas can you name?
You can see some of them on our Meaning of Christmas page

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