In the upcoming festive season, we’ll be taking a look at how Christmas is perceived in Asian countries. Is it a big celebration occasion, or just a commercial festival? Is the exchanging of gifts common? What role does Santa play in Asian celebrations? We’ll dig into all of that and much more!
There are a couple of countries which have adopted Christmas as an official holiday, but in most of them, it’s rather secular event and not a religious one. In big Asian cities, however, you can often see lavish Christmas decorations, hear Christmas carols or even meet Santa Claus (or a variation of his). After all, this is a Western holiday, which does play a big role in Asian marketing — big shopping centers don’t miss the chance to introduce various sales and events during those occasions.
1. Vietnamese Christmas celebrations
Only a small percentage of the Vietnamese population identifies as Christian, but that doesn’t stop the Vietnamese people from celebrating Christmas, especially on Christmas Eve. In order to enjoy a light show on Christmas Eve, young people crowd Nguyen Hue Avenue in Ho Chi Minh City. In Hanoi, people gather around St. Joseph Cathedral to do the same. As to what they do in order to celebrate — they throw confetti around, in addition to enjoying the colorful light shows and Christmas decorations.
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2. Thailand and Christmas
Christmas in AsiaSimilar to Vietnam, there are not many Christians in Thailand. Despite that, many Thai people (especially those in Bangkok) do celebrate Christmas at a nice, usually outdoor restaurant if the weather permits or at home, with decorated Christmas trees and gift exchanges being common among friends and family. Most of the department stores also go above and beyond in decorating their buildings, competing with each other by running sales and constantly promoting them until the new year arrives.
3.Japanese celebrations
The main religions in Japan are Buddhism and Shinto, so Christmas is more of a commercial event that Japanese people celebrate for fun. It’s common that adults give presents to their kids on Christmas Eve, rather than on Christmas day. As for the traditional food consumed on Christmas — Japanese people eat a lot of fried chicken, which is why restaurants such as KFC allow people to make orders in advance. Christmas cake, especially Strawberry shortcake, is also commonly seen in Japan during that time of the year.
4. Christmas in Korea
Christmas is celebrated more widely in South Korea, as Christians make up about 30% of the population. It’s actually an official public holiday, although Koreans go back to work again on the 26th of December. Gifts are exchanged, in the forms of money and cards. The festive spirit is on point, as the streets are covered in Christmas lights and decorations. A common treat during Christmas in Korea is the so-called Christmas cake — a sponge cake with a lot of cream and fruits. You can often meet Santa Haraboji (산타 할아버지) or Grandfather Santa, who is usually dressed in blue.
5. Christmas in Philippines
As around 90% of the population in the Philippines is Christian, Christmas is celebrated well and loud in that region. Official Christmas celebrations start on the 16th of December, but you may start hearing Christmas carols as early as October. A traditional decoration in that country is the “parol” — a bamboo lantern with a lighted star on it, which represents the star that guided the Wise Men. Most people stay up all night on Christmas Eve until Christmas Day arrives, with Christians attending “Simbang Gabi” (the Christmas Eve mass), followed by a midnight feast called Noche Buena.
6. Singapore celebrations
Christmas is a big celebration in Singapore, not only for the many Christians there but also for young locals. Streets and shops are decorated with fake snow, Christmas presents, Christmas trees, and men in red Santa suits. The shops on Orchard Road transform every Christmas into a wonderland of magic where every kind of gift can be found and great photos are easy to take. Restaurants across the island add a festive twist with special menus to make customers salivate. Party-goers can take part in a countdown party at Marina Bay with live music performances and the best firework shows in Asia or dance the night away among thousands of revelers at the Siloso Beach before greeting the new year with a bang.
7. Myanmar celebrations
In Southeast Asia, Myanmar celebrates Christmas for the whole of December beginning from the 1st day of the month. The occasion is gradually becoming more popular as ‘Sweet December’ by both the youth and elders. Even though Myanmar is primarily a Buddhist country, Christianity and Christmas were brought here by the British and have popularized ever since. Therefore, everyone here look forward to the celebrations regardless of religion. Interestingly, the churches in Myanmar are decorated with golden yellow instead of the usual red, green, and white colors.
Each country in Asia has its own way of celebrating Christmas but to all of them, Christmas is the occasion for friends and family to get together and enjoy the cheerful atmosphere. Come to Asia this season to experience the holiday the Asian way.
