Santa hats have become part of the uniform for cashiers, fitness instructors, and waiters in Beijing, China News Service reported on December 18, and members of the popular Twelve Girls Band wear them as they smile at commuters from subway posters.

Department stores, restaurants, hotels, karaoke bars and travel agencies use Christmas imagery in their advertising, while Christmas trees and lights have become commonplace on the capital's main thoroughfares, including Chang'an Avenue.

Christmas Eve dinners are held both in western and traditional Chinese restaurants, and attract large numbers of diners.

"You could say it is consumer culture or cultural consumption. To me, it is just a festival like others that bring pleasure and leisure," said Anna, who has worked in hotel administration for six years.

Her Christmas Eve schedule includes a buffet dinner in a revolving restaurant, a singles party and karaoke.

"Christmas is getting hot for people's desire and passion for a beautiful life," she added.

Christmas has become a major festival in Beijing and other Chinese cities, with one third of urbanites celebrating it.

It has become as important as Spring Festival, China's most important traditional festival, and according to the National Bureau of Statistics, retail sales across the country reached 440 billion yuan (US$53 billion) in December 2003, an increase of 20 percent on the previous month, and retail sales volume in December 2004 went up 15.5 percent on that.

(China.org.cn by Li Shen, December 23, 2005)