Should Chinese people celebrate Christmas?

As the weekend draws closer, it's fairly obvious, even in China, that Christmas is around the corner. All the signs are there - seasonal restaurant advertising, festive music in the department stores and supermarkets, and decorations in the spirit of the occasion are everywhere.

The prevalence of the Christmas theme around Beijing has seemingly led some to question whether or not they should celebrate it, with invariably some argument in each direction.

The arrival of Christmas in China could have been via a number of different routes. Perhaps the first signs arrived with the Europeans, especially the British influence where Hong Kong is concerned.