The Virgin and Child are Chinese

We Chinese celebrate Christmas, but most do not celebrate it for the same reasons that Christians do. Because only a small portion of the Chinese population is Christian, as Christianity is not an officially sanctioned religion in China, and Christmas is not a national holiday.

When I was a college student in Shanghai, I would shout "Sheng dan kuai le! (Merry Christmas)" to anyone I met on the road, and I would attend a dancing party in sport and gym centre, some would go to church to watch Christian celebrating their holiday. I have never posted Christmas cards to friends or relatives.

You may see Santa Clause and Christmas trees on a shopping center or somewhere or even in front of a Confucius Temple, but I have never heard of Chinese cooking turkey or Brussels sprouts or eating pudding on Christmas dinner. The reason, I think, maybe that Chinese haven't got an oven in our kitchen!

And Chinese think the Virgin Marry and Jesus will put on Chinese costumes on that day. Below is a picture from a Chinese Catholic website. Looks very elegant and lovely.