As the yuletide season fast approaches, people start planning their vacation trips and holidays thinking of different ideas on where and how to spend Christmas. As usual Christmas around the world is almost the same but if you want to have an unforgettable December filled with some oriental feeling, forget about the worries of the past, pack your bags and come and experience a unique Christmas celebration touring China and its many beautiful cities.



Even though the Chinese people do not celebrate Christmas like the Christians do, a small amount of people however recognize the holiday and embrace the tradition. Christians in China celebrate the season by lighting their house with brightly colored trees of lights made out of paper chains, paper lanterns and paper flowers. The young children hang muslin stockings and await the arrival of a Chinese Santa Claus whom they call Dun Che Lao Ren (dwyn-chuh-lau-oh-run) which means "Christmas Old Man." To give them gifts filled with candy bars.

With the number of tourists and expatriates in the country, many Chinese cities are now decorating the stores and streets with "trees of lights" to feel the spirit of Christmas. For a group of people or family who want to tour China in Christmas, there are quite a number of places of interest and tourist attractions to see and visit.

Starting off at Hong Kong, lots of gigantic snow men and Christmas decorations are seen in big malls and stores on the island, the famous Hong Kong Disneyland is jam packed with tourists and locals from around. Victoria Harbour, Victoria Peak and Ocean Park are also very good tourist spots to see in Hong Kong. The island is filled with happiness as people stay with their families and friends to enjoy the season.

Moving on to Mainland China, Shanghai is The New York of China. It is a place where tradition and modernity intertwine. From the old cities to the tall skyscrapers, spending Christmas on the Bund along the banks of the Huangpu River is breathtaking and fills you with admiration of Shanghai metropolis. A tour in Shanghai is not complete without shopping on Nanjing Road - the longest and busiest commercial center in China. After shopping, you may want to change directions and head north to Beijing, the country's capital and the city known to be the most historical city in China.

Beijing is one of the major tourist destinations in China, therefore, spending Christmas in this beautiful city is a must. At the Avenue of Eternal Peace, buildings and stores are decorated with Christmas ornaments and people special food to eat and spend with their families. The Beijing Opera popularly known as Peking Opera which is the national opera of China depicts the real Chinese culture with its accompanying music and costumes which makes it very artistic and breathtaking. It is definitely one of the most entertaining musical opera to witness for a unique Xmas. The Tian'anmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven are some architectural landmarks for tourists in Beijing.

If you decide to extend your stay, experiencing the Harbin Ice festival or its opening is another memorable occasion to experience during a Christmas tour in China. The opening event features the explosion of fireworks over large sculptures of ice blocks. The affair is very colorful and just puts one in the mood for festivities. This event usually starts from the 1st week of January, so the timing is perfect.

Planning your Christmas holiday at the end of the year into the beginning of another western new year in a country like China provides a wonderful Christmas experience of a lifetime.