Christmas in China: How Is It Celebrated?

When people ask us whether China celebrates Christmas, we usually smile because the answer is both simple and surprisingly layered. In our experience, Christmas in China is seen very differently to how it is in the UK. For many people across the mainland it is not a religious holiday with family gatherings around a nativity; instead it has become visible mainly through shops, lights and seasonal decorations in cities, especially where shopping and youth culture are strong. That urban, commercial side of the festival is what most visitors see when they travel to Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou at this time of year.

Growing up in Guangzhou we remember encountering Christmas as a colourful novelty that mixed Western imagery with local twists. For us the experience was about seeing Christmas trees in malls, special seasonal promotions, and themed events rather than attending a church service or having a public holiday. Larger cities, and places with higher numbers of expatriates or tourists, will have the greatest concentration of decorations and events, while in smaller towns and rural areas the day passes in a much quieter way.

Is Christmas a Public Holiday in China?

No, Christmas Day is not a public holiday in mainland China. The official annual holidays are different, with the Lunar New Year being the major national break. That means most workers and schoolchildren do not get December 25th off as they would in the UK. The lack of formal holiday status shapes how most people experience the day, since it stays within the realm of retail, restaurants and entertainment rather than national observance. This is worth remembering if you are planning travel or expecting closed businesses on that date.

How Do People in Cities Experience Christmas?

In big cities you will see Christmas lights, decorated shopping centres and themed events aimed at customers. For many urban residents, Christmas functions like a seasonal marketing period similar to Valentine’s Day or Singles’ Day, with restaurants, cinemas and malls using festive motifs to attract visitors. Young people often treat Christmas Eve as an occasion for dates or outings rather than a family religious festival. These commercial and social forms of celebration have been especially visible since the 1990s when Western-style retail culture expanded rapidly.

Is Christmas a Religious Festival in China?

There are Christian communities across China and some churches will hold services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. For these believers the day has the same religious meaning it does elsewhere. However, Christians make up a minority of the overall population, and for the majority the day is secular and commercial in character. Where faith communities exist, especially in larger cities, they observe Christmas through church services, charity events and community meals.

Regional Differences: Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau

It is important to separate mainland practice from what you will find in Hong Kong and Macau. Hong Kong and Macau have longer histories of Western influence and both give Christmas a larger public presence. Hong Kong and Macau observe public holidays over Christmas and have more visible street parades, official tree lightings and public celebrations. Mainland China’s approach is more varied, with major urban centres embracing the season commercially while many smaller places remain largely unaffected. These regional contrasts explain why someone from Guangzhou might remember a different Christmas experience to someone from Hong Kong.

Popular Local Customs and Unique Twists

Some unique Chinese customs have grown up around the season. For example, in recent years giving decorative apples on Christmas Eve has become a playful tradition in certain cities because the word for apple in Mandarin sounds like the word for peace on Christmas Eve. Malls sometimes stage Santa appearances or “Christmas villages” and themed food or gifts appear for a short season. These local twists show how traditions are adapted to be culturally relevant and commercially attractive for local audiences.

Why It Feels Different to the West

The main reason Christmas feels so different in China is that it was adopted largely through commerce and popular culture rather than a long-standing religious tradition. Where families in the UK may have multi-generational rituals and a public holiday, in China the emphasis is on seasonal atmosphere rather than long family holidays. That makes the festival feel newer and more flexible, with its own local character in different cities. From our perspective, this is similar to how Chinese food itself adapts to local tastes when it travels — what ends up on the street and on menus reflects the place that receives it.

What This Means for People in Barry Ordering Chinese Food at Christmas

When customers in Barry ask if Chinese people celebrate Christmas, they are usually curious about whether they can expect traditional Chinese festivities around December 25th. The honest answer is that you will find festive decorations and special menus in some Chinese restaurants and shops, especially in areas with lots of shoppers or expat communities, but the way the day is observed in China is often different to the family-centred holiday many expect in the UK. For our takeaway the season is an opportunity to share seasonal goodwill, highlight menu favourites and remind people about our opening hours during the holidays. You can always check our menu and opening times on the website if you plan to order over the festive period.

Final Thoughts

So do they celebrate Christmas in China? The short answer is yes and no. Yes in the sense that many people and businesses bring out decorations, seasonal products and events. No in the sense that for most of the population it is not a religious public holiday or a national day of rest. The way Christmas appears in China is shaped by urban life, commercial practice and regional history, and it looks different depending on whether you walk through a big city mall or a quiet small town. From our experience, that variety is interesting and worth remembering when you meet questions about cultural celebrations. If you want to read more about how Chinese food and culture adapt when they arrive in the UK, take a look at our posts on Cantonese cuisine and on why Chinese takeaway looks different in Britain.