Chinese Christmas Celebrations

Christmas: Less Important Than Chinese New Year, But Still Sometimes Celebrated
Chinese New Year is the foremost winter holiday in Chinese culture. Still, that doesn't mean that Christmas is ignored altogether. My friend Judy and her family are a good example. She is a first-generation Canadian, as her Chinese parents emigrated from Hong Kong in the 1950's. When the children were small, her parents put up an artificial Christmas tree each year. Presents were exchanged on Christmas morning - unfortunately, she missed out on having a Christmas stocking, since her parents were unfamiliar with that particular custom!
Food and Family
As in western culture, Christmas day was a time to spend with family. Judy recalls sitting down with relatives to a large meal on Christmas day, but it could be served at either lunch or dinner. Instead of turkey, her father would prepare foods such as roast barbecued pork, chicken, and soup with wood ears. Reminiscing, she says the meal had more in common with a Chinese New Year's banquet than a traditional Christmas dinner.
Now that there are no children in the house, the artificial tree has been relegated to the garage, and the family often skips the large meal, although everyone still exchanges gifts. Chinese New Year has returned to being the major winter holiday.