Home>News Center>China
       
 

Bells ring for Santa in China
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-12-25 09:31

Christmas is catching on across China, despite the fact that only 1 percent of the country's citizens say they are Christians.

A recent poll among Chinese residents found that 70 percent enjoy the holiday.
While Christmas is largely a religious festival in the West, Chinese people say they enjoy it as a time to get together with family and friends.

Meanwhile, merchants are tuning in to the holiday's marketing potential.

Most of the world's Santa Clauses are now made in China, according to a study by the German Chamber of Commerce. And China is becoming the biggest production base for the world's Christmas gifts.

Rui Wa, who sells Christmas gifts and ornaments in Beijing, said she purchased 1,000 artificial Christmas trees from Hong Kong in early November and is almost sold out.
Newsweek magazine correspondent Paul Mooney remembers the first Christmas he spent in China in 1994.

"I felt sad and homesick at that moment, because very few people celebrated the day," he said. "Things have changed a lot now. We can see Christmas decorations everywhere in downtown Beijing."

Smiling Santa Clauses, colorful Christmas stockings, trees and "Merry Christmas" greetings are everywhere. "Jingle Bells" echoes in many of the capital's shopping malls.

"Although we are far from our country we feel at home here, because Beijing is filled with a festive atmosphere," said William Lindesay, an American involved in Great Wall protection work.

"Christmas has exceeded its original religious connotation and has spread to every country," he said. "It is a world festival, and a season for spreading love and warmth."

Wang Xinnong, a sociologist at Tianjin University, is not surprised at the increasing popularity of Christmas.

"It is inevitable that some Western holidays such as Christmas and Valentine's Day have become popular in China," he said.

"As a result of exchanges between various cultures, it is common that some Western customs are becoming accepted by more and more Chinese people.

"Christmas brings us joy and happiness."



 
  Today's Top News     Top China News
 

A time for giving, a time for sharing

 

   
 

Cities raise water price

 

   
 

Explosion rips Baghdad as Rumsfeld leaves

 

   
 

Nation joins groups against money laundering

 

   
 

Premier calls for greater UN role in Iraq

 

   
 

Home-made films play a bigger role

 

   
  Non-stop train makes urgent halt for pregnant woman
   
  Bells ring for Santa in China
   
  Cities raise water price
   
  Minister: Exports mix to be adjusted
   
  Christmas in China brings foreigners at home
   
  Chinese Nobel laureate gets married again
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  News Talk  
  It is time to prepare for Beijing - 2008  
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 日本道v高清免费| 精品久久久久久亚洲综合网 | 91精品国产麻豆福利在线 | 亚洲午夜久久久精品影院| 精品欧美一区二区在线观看| 国产漂亮白嫩美女在线观看| jizzjizzjizz国产| 日产精品久久久久久久性色| 亚洲人成人无码网www国产| 男女一进一出猛进式抽搐视频 | 国产喷水在线观看| 6080yy午夜不卡一二三区| 最近中文字幕免费mv视频| 伊人久久大香线蕉综合电影 | 成人无码WWW免费视频| 乱之荡艳岳目录| 欧美高清精品一区二区| 国产成品精品午夜视频| A毛片毛片看免费| 文轩探花高冷短发| 亚洲AV无码一区二区三区在线| 爱情岛论坛在线视频| 啊轻点灬大巴太粗太长视频| 99视频精品国在线视频艾草| 在线播放免费人成毛片试看| 不卡一卡二卡三亚洲| 日韩aⅴ人妻无码一区二区| 亚洲国产精品无码久久青草| 看一级特黄a大一片| 国产xvideos国产在线| 黑料不打烊最新地址| 国产美女无遮挡免费视频网站| 一个人看的www在线免费视频| 欧美日韩综合网| 免费少妇a级毛片人成网| 蜜挑成熟时k8经典网| 国产激情一区二区三区| 91精品免费久久久久久久久| 好湿好大硬得深一点动态图| 中文无码字幕中文有码字幕| 日韩在线视频观看|