by Ryan, age 9 from Austin, asks Dun Che Lao Ren about Christmas customs and toy-making across China.
A Letter to Dun Che Lao Ren from Ryan in Austin, Texas
Dear Dun Che Lao Ren, my name is Ryan and I am nine years old. I live in Austin, Texas, and I saw a video about Christmas lights in Shanghai, so now I have questions for you:
- Do Chinese children hang stockings for you?
- Do you bring presents to children in China?
- Do you bring the same kind of gifts as my Santa?
- Do you come on Christmas Eve night?
- Do you have a workshop where you make toys?
- Do you have elves or helpers?
- Do you have reindeer to pull your sleigh?
- Do you only visit Christian families, or do you visit everyone?
- Do you wear a red suit like the American Santa?
- Your name means Christmas Old Man in Chinese, is that like Santa Claus?
- Geography: What is the capital city of China?
- Social Studies: Why is Christmas mostly a commercial holiday in China rather than a religious one for most people?
Thanks, Ryan
Dun Che Lao Ren Writes Back
Do Chinese children hang stockings for you?
Some children in China do hang stockings, Ryan, especially in bigger cities where Christmas has become a popular, festive season rather than a religious one.
Do you bring presents to children in China?
I bring gifts mostly in cities, where Christmas has become a fun holiday for shopping, decorations, and parties, even for families who are not Christian.
Do you bring the same kind of gifts as my Santa?
Very similar, toys, gadgets, and treats, along with plenty of red and gold decorations that fit right into China’s own festive traditions.
Do you come on Christmas Eve night?
Christmas Eve, called Ping’an Ye, or Peaceful Night, is when I make my rounds, and it is also a popular night for friends to exchange apples wrapped in shiny paper as a pun on the words for Christmas Eve.
Do you have a workshop where you make toys?
I keep a smaller workshop, though much of what I deliver comes from busy toy factories and shops across China, which produces a huge share of the world’s toys.
Do you have elves or helpers?
A few cheerful helpers assist me, mostly with wrapping and deliveries in the busiest shopping districts.
Do you have reindeer to pull your sleigh?
I do keep a sleigh with reindeer for tradition’s sake, though in the busiest cities I will admit a scooter gets the job done faster.
Do you only visit Christian families, or do you visit everyone?
Mostly everyone who enjoys the holiday spirit, since Christmas in China is celebrated more as a fun winter season than a religious one for most families.
Do you wear a red suit like the American Santa?
Yes, a red suit, sometimes paired with a Chinese-style silk jacket for special appearances at shopping malls.
Your name means Christmas Old Man in Chinese, is that like Santa Claus?
That is right, Dun Che Lao Ren simply means Christmas Old Man, and yes, that is exactly the same idea as your Santa Claus, just with a Chinese name and a slightly different history.
Geography: What is the capital city of China?
Beijing is the capital of China, a huge city where Christmas lights and decorations fill many of the shopping streets every December.
Social Studies: Why is Christmas mostly a commercial holiday in China rather than a religious one for most people?
Christianity is practiced by a small share of people in China, so for most families Christmas is not a religious holiday. Instead it has become a popular commercial and social season, especially among young people in big cities, filled with decorations, gift exchanges, and festive lights, similar to how some other holidays are celebrated mainly for fun rather than faith.
