Different continents, different culture, different celebrations.
Although China is not a Christian country and therefore does not traditionally celebrate Christmas in December, the Christmas trend from the Western world has taken hold in China in recent years. Especially in big cities like Beijing or Shanghai, the Christian festival is celebrated. Most Chinese who celebrate Christmas belong to the younger generation and do so with friends, in restaurants or in nightclubs. Large department stores and stores take advantage of the trend with extended opening hours and, of course, all kinds of special offers. In the process, department stores are decorated for Christmas and Christmas trees are put up. But the older generation usually has little contact with the holiday. It is similar with the New Year celebration. Although the first of January is a holiday throughout China, the Western New Year is also increasingly organized by the younger generation.
The situation is completely different when the Chinese New Year (chun Jie) is celebrated according to the lunar calendar. In 2023, the beginning of the festival falls on January 22. During the Chinese New Year, people see red. Thus, a few days before the actual start of the holiday, the streets, houses and shopping centers are decorated red and gold. Atmospheric lanterns, pictures and flowers support the ambience in the same colors. Many Chinese travel halfway across the country, back home to their parents. This traveling activity of the Chinese is called the largest migration of people in the world. The festival itself begins on the eve with a feast, around 23 o'clock starts a fireworks display lasting several hours. In the following days, visits of relatives are on the agenda. People wish each other a happy new year, eat together and give children red envelopes containing gifts of money. Traditional customs are carried out during the whole period, but especially during the first four or five days. The Traditional Festival ends after fifteen days with the famous Lantern Festival.
Christmas and Chinese New Year have their similarities. Both festivals are celebrated in the dark and cold winter months and are planned and prepared long in advance. Above all, both festivals focus on the family. These centuries-old traditions are passed down from one generation to the next.
圣诞快乐(sheng dan kuai le), we wish you a Merry Christmas!
元旦快乐(yuan dan kuai le), we wish you a happy new year!
春节快乐 (chun jie kuai le), we wish you a happy new Chinese year!!
- Tong, Karlstein am Main