The day before “圣诞节 (shèngdànjié) Christmas”is considered by most churches to be a part of the Christmas holiday. Many Christians attend midnight mass, leading up to and officially beginning the start of Christmas.
After Christmas Eve, Christmas Day arrives
圣诞节(shèng dàn jié) / 圣诞(shèng dàn): n. Christmas
Examples:
wǒ men yào qù dé guó guò shèng dàn hé xīn nián.
我们要去德国过圣诞节和新年。
We’re going to Germany for Christmas and New Year.
nǐ dǎ suàn huí jiā guò shèng dàn jié ma ?
你打算回家过圣诞节吗？
Are you going home for Christmas?
Christmas Day is also a public holiday in many other countries and regions, not just those associated with the Roman Empire and Christianity, such as Hong Kong, Macao, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Holiday Customs and Traditions
Christmas Cards
It is a “流行的 (liú xíng de) popular” tradition in the US and Europe to send family photos along with a Christmas or holiday card, wishing people good luck and good health, and reaching out to friends and family who aren’t able to be in the same place to celebrate the holidays.
流行的 liú xíng de: adj. popular
Examples:
zhè shì wǒ men zuì liú xíng de shè jì zhī yī.
这是我们最流行的设计之一。
This is one of our most popular designs.
qí zì xíng chē shì ōu zhōu dì èr liú xíng de tǐ yù yùn dòng .
骑自行车是欧洲第二流行的体育运动。
Cycling is Europe’s second most popular sport.
Christmas Stockings
Traditionally, people take big red socks of different sizes and fill them with presents. They are hung on the fireplace mantel or near the Christmas tree on Christmas eve and excitedly emptied on Christmas day.
Christmas Tree
Christmas trees are one of the most recognizable symbols of Christmas. Usually, people put a pine tree inside their house, decorate it with Christmas lights, then add a final touch of either an angel or a star on the top.
For China
Like many other places with no Christianity “背景 (bèi jǐng) background),” in China Christmas is a good reason to go shopping and traveling. In many Chinese cities, there are numerous discounts in supermarkets and markets before and after Christmas day.
背景 (bèi jǐng): n. background, backdrop
Examples:
zhè ài qíng gù shì yǐ nèi zhàn wéi bèi jǐng zhǎn kāi.
这爱情故事以内战为背景展开。
The love story unfolds against a background of civil war.
nǐ néng duō tí gōng yì xiē zhè jiā gōng sī de bèi jǐng zī liào ma ?
你能多提供一些这家公司的背景资料吗？
Can you give me more background on the company?
Diversification
The economics of Christmas is significant because Christmas is typically a peak selling season for retailers in many nations around the world. In countries around the world, sales increase dramatically as people purchase gifts, decorations, and supplies to celebrate; in the U.S., the “Christmas shopping season” starts as early as October.
Take the quiz to evaluate your comprehension of today’s topic. Let us know which idea or word is the most interesting to read about.
1.这文化_______赋予了他们一种冒险精神。
2.最_______故事是关于冰岛的圣诞节的故事。
A.圣诞
B.流行的
C.背景
You May Want to Learn More:
How to express “Thanks” in Chinese
5 Ways to Confess Your Love on Chinese Valentine’s Day
Don’t Say Happy Dragon Boat Festival!
