On Christmas Eve this year, religious activities and public celebrations in various parts of China continue to face restrictions. Universities are required to not publicly celebrate Christmas, spontaneous activists on the streets of Shanghai are taken away by the police, and house church gatherings in Shandong and Sichuan are disrupted by state security, with Christmas decorations in malls noticeably reduced. Interviewees mentioned that this Christmas, religious activities have been compressed to only take place within officially designated areas.
On Christmas Eve, believers from house churches in Shandong, Zhejiang, Sichuan, and other places planned to gather to celebrate Christmas but were obstructed by state security. A pastor surnamed Huang from a house church in Qingdao, Shandong, told Epoch Times that the authorities prevented them from gathering: “On Christmas Eve, the relevant department informed our believers that they cannot gather collectively. Our family members got together to celebrate, and we even invited a few friends over for food and drinks.”
Pastor Huang also mentioned that all group gatherings have been prohibited, and malls are not allowed to display Christmas trees and decorations: “There is no Christmas atmosphere this Christmas, not only in Qingdao but also in other places. Brothers and sisters from other places have told me that gatherings are not allowed there either, and everywhere feels cold and desolate.”
On December 24th, Dezhou University in Shandong required students not to post on social media circles, and any violations would be dealt with seriously. A counselor mentioned, “IP tracking and online monitoring are watching you at all times, and once caught, individuals will be held accountable, this is a serious matter.” Northwest University in Shaanxi required students not to go out or return home on the 24th and 25th, with attendance taken both nights.
Wenzhou in Zhejiang is the most concentrated area of Christians in China. On that night, a pastor surnamed Wang told reporters that on Christmas Eve, the authorities only allowed believers to participate in celebration activities at official churches. He said, “Compared to previous years, this year’s Christmas atmosphere is far less felt, and the Christmas spirit is almost non-existent. Some believers who were detained a few days ago have not been released yet. Many brothers and sisters here dare not participate in group activities now.”
Another pastor surnamed Li in Wenzhou told reporters that just before Christmas, local state security officials asked him about the number of people participating in Christmas Eve activities. He estimated that around 100 people would attend. State security replied with a statement saying “do not expand the scope anymore.” Pastor Li mentioned that in the past, they could invite non-church members for Christmas Eve, but now it’s limited to only church attendees.
Numerous believers revealed that in Zhejiang, several universities’ group chat administrators issued notifications to change their Christmas hat avatars and prohibited any Christmas-related content on their social media moments. A student from one of the universities said, “The school issued Christmas control guidelines this year, prohibiting students from using Christmas symbols as avatars.”
A Christian in Hangzhou told reporters that house churches still cannot hold gatherings. It’s only allowed within the family unit, and exceeding the number of family members would be discouraged. Keeping gatherings low-key during Christmas has been a habit for many years.
On the same day, a woman in Shanghai’s Huangpu District was dressed as Santa Claus on Changle Road, distributing apples to passersby with her pet. Shortly after, she was taken away by the police. Footage showed her being questioned at the police station, with several people in Santa costumes waiting for inquiries inside, along with a pile of Christmas hats and trees on the floor.
Christmas decorations in some commercial areas are also restricted. A resident in Shanghai named Mr. He said, “This year, only designated areas are allowed to display Christmas trees and play Christmas music. Young people still love Christmas. But the government wants to boost the economy without promoting Christmas.” Mr. He mentioned that nowadays, Christmas can only exist within specified areas.
A Christian in Shanghai told reporters that this year, Christmas decorations can only appear in officially designated malls or event venues. He said that other places cannot display Christmas trees, and some places removed festive elements as early as the 22nd.
A believer named John from Fujian told reporters that in the past two years, public Christmas gatherings accessible to the general public have gradually been canceled, except for churches officially recognized by the CCP. A student in Shenyang mentioned that the school had once prohibited students from wearing Christmas hats, and street officials visited homes to advise parents against letting children participate in church activities.
Similar to the situation in East China, believers in the southwest also describe tightened Christmas activities in the local area. A Christian surnamed Yang in Chengdu, Sichuan, informed reporters that they had received a notice from the state security before Christmas Eve prohibiting gatherings: “We are not allowed to gather on Christmas Eve, there is no Christmas atmosphere on the streets, and although some large supermarkets still have Christmas decorations, compared to previous years when there were large Christmas displays on the streets, it’s all gone. Family gatherings have been completely banned.”
Mr. Yang stated that authorities require Christians to attend registered Three-Self churches, with ordinary believers only allowed to gather within their households.
On the other hand, the U.S. Embassy in China posted a holiday choir video on social media on December 24th, with a message wishing everyone a happy and peaceful holiday. The video was reposted on Chinese social media platforms, with comments thanking for the well-wishes and others noting that holiday elements in public scenes need to adhere to regulations.
In recent years, various restrictions have been imposed in China during Christmas. Between 2021 and 2024, churches in Henan, Anhui, and Sichuan received notices from street authorities not to hold Christmas Eve activities. Some church members mentioned that they receive phone calls around December 20th inquiring about the number of participants and details of the event. Some cities require submitting lists in advance and personnel for on-site verification.
Public records indicate that religious activities in China can only take place in registered institutions, and festivals are not allowed to extend to public spaces. Local governments have also required that Christmas festivities should not “expand, hype, or sensationalize.” Some netizens mentioned that although Christmas is not a traditional Chinese holiday, it leaves goodwill and interaction for ordinary people. However, now only related activities can be held within limited areas. The public presentation of Christmas has gradually formed a festival model of “official delineation and constrained expression.”