Christmas lost its soul in the west around the time that I stopped believing in Rudolf, and it’s been a source of angst for those who care about such things for all the decades since. But in China the holiday never had much soul to begin with. That’s what makes it such fun.

Christmas in China has nothing to do with history, tradition, relatives or regifting. It is, gloriously and unashamedly, about money and fun. Mainlanders celebrate Christmas — and they do celebrate it, even though it’s not a public holiday — by shopping, eating out, maybe doing a bit of karaoke and then more shopping. There’s none of the guilt, stress or family friction of Yuletide in the west (or for that matter, lunar new year in China).

China does have Christians, but it has far more people who celebrate Christmas than believe in it. That disconnect exists globally too. But in China, Christmas without the benefit of Christianity is more of a romantic holiday than a pseudo-religious one.