Christmas came into being with the Christian religion. In countries where this religion predominates, it is very common to celebrate it in a big way and with very similar traditions, such as mass and dinner on the 24th of December, or a family meal on the 25th. But Christmas is not exclusive to Christians; it has become so popular that it is even celebrated in a secular way, making this celebration more varied. In general, it is a celebration mainly for relaxation, spending time with family, sharing a nice meal, and giving gifts.
In Asia, Christmas is considered an alien celebration, since the predominant religions are Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam, and not Christianity as it is in Europe or America. However, such is the impact that Christmas has had on the world that it has been adopted and adapted in countries such as South Korea, Japan, and China, although the way it is celebrated is somewhat different. Do you know how it is celebrated?
South Korea
Christmas decorations in South Korea can be found in shops and establishments, as well as pine trees decorated with lights and spheres, just like in our country, but in this country, the celebration has a slightly different meaning, as the population is mainly Buddhist, and they celebrate in a secular way.
Christians in South Korea, who make up about 30 percent of the population, treat it as a religious holiday and have dinner with their families on 24 December, even though there are no different dishes than the ones they eat every day. The others prefer to take the 25th as a day off and choose to go shopping, go out for fun with friends, watch Christmas-themed movies at the cinema, and do other more everyday activities.
Couples and engaged couples often have dinner together on this date. It is like a second Valentine’s Day, and they exchange gifts. Incidentally, many couples try to coincide Christmas with the 100th day of their relationship. Starting on 17 September, also called Gobaek Day (Confession Day), they try to give or receive a declaration of love so that they can spend Christmas together.
Japan
In Japan, the percentage of the population that is Christian is even smaller than in South Korea, as Buddhism and the country’s own religion, Shintoism, predominate. Due to its popularity, Christmas has also come to Japan, but its meaning has been adapted to Japanese culture. Thus, we can find all the typical decorations and ornaments, along with pine trees specially illuminated with coloured lights in shops and public spaces, but not so much in homes.
December 25 is not considered a holiday, so the Japanese go to school and work like any other day. At the end of the day, it is very common to go shopping for the family or partner, as Christmas for them means giving a gift. Parents usually give presents to their children instead of Father Christmas.
For Christmas dinner, the main dish is usually chicken from KFC. It may not seem special to us, or the typical gala dish for the occasion, but for them, it has become a tradition. For dessert, they usually eat Christmas Cake, which is a cake topped with cream and strawberries.
China
In China, Christmas is a foreign holiday. In the 1980s, the government itself declared that Christmas is an irrational holiday that goes against socialism and Chinese traditions. There are even cities where it is forbidden to put up Christmas decorations and organise Christmas dinners, as in Liaoning. Despite the high export of Christmas products, it is not a bank holiday in China, nor is it as relevant as its own celebrations. For many Chinese, Christmas is simply a time for eating and gift-giving.
However, in recent years, especially for young people, Christmas has become more widespread and is slowly becoming accepted in society. Some people put up Christmas trees in their businesses and homes. There is a tradition of giving red apples on Christmas between couples, as the word they use for “peaceful night” (ping’an ye) has a similar pronunciation to “apple” (pingguo). Exchanging gifts has also become popular and many take advantage of discounts at large shops.
Christmas is mostly an excuse to spend time with family or friends, exchanging gifts and eating. The main dish at Christmas dinner is fish. For this reason, the spelling of “fish” is used as a sinogram for “abundance”.
What do you think about Christmas, how do you celebrate it, let us know in the comments!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!