Pathetic. (the china bashing)
"While Christmas has become more popular in China even during the last few years, it has been stripped of its religious significance and is generally celebrated as a materialistic holiday..."
My experience in Beijing 2000. On December 1st the decorations went up, including Christmas trees decorated in red and gold (and hotel barmaids in short-skirted "Santa" costumes), and signs & decorations in the stores. Very similar to what you'd see in the U.S.
A fake Christmas tree decorated with miniature climbing Santas topped with a rainbow colored cow that blows bubble out of it's ass. Think it doesn't get anymore awesome? You would be wrong. Whats better than Christmas at home with family? Christmas outside with tens of thousands of people downtown engaging in a massive battle royale with inflatable bats and copious amounts of beer.
And they attend the Christmas day doesn’t mean they are Christian, most of them only for jollification.
A video about Christian in Chinese rural.
It’s fun, the pastor was wearing a uniform and gloves, he has a band.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvEuQ4R9AhI
In your essay, the words “Jingle Bells” brought back a memory from October 1984. On tour there, we visited an elementary school that was well prepared for the ‘foreign visitors’. The kids sang “Jingle Bells” for us, in English — to our pleasure and amusement.
In your present case, it sounds as if the students have come a long way from their parents, in that they openly discuss Christmas. And discuss it without fear.
Jing-roh bears, jing-roh bears Jing-roh or the way