Chinese city bans Christmas celebrations in schools

BEIJING: A city in China has banned all Christmas celebrations in schools and kindergartens stating that it wants to keep the focus of the students on traditional Chinese festivals.

Wenzhou city in Zhejiang province said the decision is meant to guide schools in highlighting China's traditional festivals.

"No middle school, primary school or kindergarten may hold any Christmas-themed activity or celebration," said the circular issued by the city's educational authority, adding that there would be inspections on the enforcement.

The purpose of the Christmas ban is not to crack down on all Western festivals, but to reverse the schools' obsession with Western festivals at the expense of Chinese ones, state- run Xinhua news agency quoted Zheng Shangzhong of the city's educational bureau as saying.

Schools have more of an obligation to tell children the meaning of traditional festivals such as the Lantern Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and Lunar New Year, he said.

Celebrating Christmas has become trendy among young Chinese, who see the Christian festival as a merry time to shop, party and dine with their friends and significant others.

Meanwhile, proponents of traditional Chinese culture have warned against cultural invasion.

A college at Northwest University in Shaanxi province reportedly kept its students from joining Christmas celebrations by having them watch traditional cultural films on Christmas Eve.

Its official microblog account said that Chinese traditional festivals and culture were fading away as more Chinese embrace Western traditions, the Xinhua report said.

Christmas followed by New Year are a major draw in China with malls well decorated.

Shops are also offering discounts during the season which goes up till the Chinese New Year is celebrated as Spring Festival in February.