How to Spend Christmas Eve in Beijing

Christmas Eve for the West is similar to the New Year’s Eve of Chinese lunar new year for the Chinese, a time for family reunion. This western religious festival is getting its popularity in China, especially in the big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, etc.

There are various reasons behind the increasing popularity of Christmas in China. The Christians and Catholics are increasing in numbers; young people seek Christmas as the time to boost their romance; smart merchants grab Christmas to promote theirs sales or images; foreign business related companies follow suit.

If you happen to spend your Christmas eve in Beijing during your Beijing winter tour, you may take some adventure going on to the streets to explore and spend a local Christmas eve.

So how will local Beijingers celebrate Christmas eve? What are things to do during Christmas eve in Beijing?  Unlike the west countries where Christmas is a time for family get-together, here in Beijing it is a time for making fun and making money.

I once drove around the busy areas in Beijing for feeling the atmosphere of Christmas eve. Here’s my run down of the interesting spots for Christmas eve.

Christmas Eve gala party

Many hotels, mainly 4 or 5 star hotels would hold Christmas eve gala parties in recent years.  A routine Christmas eve gala party would include three elements – a big dinner,  high-level performances and several rounds of exciting lucky draws.

Christmas eve party is also a channel for networking or “Guanxi” in Chinese, enhancing working relationship and friendship. Below are the two pictures taken from internet.

Performance at a Christmas eve party

Performance at Crowne Plaza Christmas Eve Party
Christmas eve party (Picture from internet )

Go to Church

There are 11 churches in Beijing, 6 Catholic churches, 5 Christian churches. My favorite is Eastern Church. Located east of central Wangfujing Street, the Catholic East Church, or Wangfujing Catholic Church, is one of the 11 best-preserved churches.

Check out Catholic Mass Times Beijing for more information.

The East Church was originally called Saint Joseph’s Church, and was built in the 12th year (1655) of Emperor Shunzhi during the Qing Dynast y (1644-1911). It was the second Catholic church built in Beijing after Italian preacher Matteo Ricci built the “South Church” in southern Beijing at the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

The present building was rebuilt in 1904 on the ruins of the burned church. In the 1980s, large-scale repairs and maintenance were carried out by the government for East Church.

Opening Time: every morning (times may vary)
Add: 74, Wangfujing Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing
Bus Lines: Take bus 103, 102, 104, 803, 814, 808 and get off at Donganmen Shichang, then walk north approx. 300 meters.
Mass Times: Weekdays 06:30 and 07:00 (Chinese), Saturday 06:30 and 07:00 (Chinese), Sunday 06:15 (Latin), 07:00 and 08:00 (Chinese)
Tel: 010-65240643

A huge crowd of fun-seekers would gather the church, taking pictures and sensing the ambience of Christmas eve. A great number of police were on high alert for a safe Christmas eve.

A huge crowd of people circling the Church.

Police will be on high alert for a safe Christmas eve.

Police were on high alert
Wangfujing Walking Street  will see “people mountain and people sea”.

Late Night Shopping

On Christmas eve,  almost all the stores and shopping malls in Beijing will not miss this golden opportunity for sales promotion. Business hours last till small hours, even to early next morning with big discounts.

Wangfujing Walking Street will see “people mountain and people sea” .

Check out Top 10 Markets in Beijing and Top 10 Shopping Malls in Beijing for more information.

Chriastmas eve shopping exterior decoration
Inside a shopping mall on the Wangfujing Street.

Beijing Department Store says it is open till 6am. There is something festive inside the department store.

There is something festive inside the department store.
Great discounts at a street front store on Wangfujing Street.

Pubs and Bars

There are several clusters of pubs and bars around Beijing city center. My favorite is Shichahai bar area ( often known as Houhai Bar streets), walking from Lotus Market, to Yinding Bridge ( Ingot Bridge ) and finishing at Yandaixiejie.

This trail teems with bars and small boutiques. There is a strong festivity in the Shichahai area.

Listening to the music from inside. Having a glimpse of the music band inside a bar.

Having a glimpse of the music band inside a bar.
Hawking Christmas mask and horns
Christmas hats and Sugar-coated hawthorns
Houhai bar area north of Ingot Bridge
Christmas eve promotion
The small vendor was also in!

Add-on

Top 10 Ski Resorts in Beijing
Top 10 Ice Rinks in Beijing
Houhai Winter Ice Skating Rink
How to Visit Great Wall of China in Winter
Top 8 Things to Do in Beijing in the Winter
How to Visit Longqing Gorge Ice Lantern Festival
What to see and do at the temple fairs in Beijing
Snow and Ice at Bird’s Nest (National Stadium)
How to Spend Spring Festival in Beijing
How to Spend Christmas Eve in Beijing
Longtan Lake Park Temple Fair

Tip:  Hassle-free Beijing Guided Tours

If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours,  here are some options for guided tours to Beijing:

Beijing Winter Tour
Beijing 5 Day Winter Tour Package
Car Rental in Beijing
Beijing Day Tour
Beijing Tour Packages
Great Wall Tour
Beijing Tours
China City Tours
China Tour

Further Readings


Best Time to Visit Beijing
How to plan a trip to Beijing

Top 10 Attractions in Beijing
Top 10 Tourist Scams Beijing
How to Visit Forbidden City
How to Visit Temple of Heaven
How to Visit Summer Palace
How to Visit Ming Tombs
How to Visit the Great Wall of China
How to Visit Tiananmen Square
How to Visit Hutongs
How to Visit Olympic Sites

Top 10 Markets in Beijing
Top 10 Shopping Malls in Beijing
Beijing Shopping

Wangfujing Night Snack Street
Qianmen Commercial Street
Beijing Huguosi Street

Any questions, just drop a line.

2 thoughts on “How to Spend Christmas Eve in Beijing

  1. Hello jocelyn tamayo,

    It seldom rains around Chiristmas time and it is hard to predict a possible snow on Christmas day. You are able to visit the Wall if there is no heavy snow blocking the way to the Wall. You have to be well prepared for the winter hiking on the Wall, gloves, wearing winter hat with ear flap, ear warmers, gloves, scarf, warm jackets and ther winter accessories.

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