Last week we offered an analysis of Christmas as a religious festival, observing that it has also evolved as many other types and that its contemporary existence as a commercial and popular festival overwhelmingly dominates the religious function.
It was also observed that it is the most popular and most widely observed festival in the world, transcending boundaries of culture, religion and politics. An excellent example of this Beijing and the large urban centres of China which in many places look and sound like any Western city with the atmosphere, music and decorations, including Christmas trees, peaking on Christmas Day, which is a major and very special day for shopping and merchandising.
The focus narrows down this week to Christmas as traditional and cultural, analysing its