ThePrevalenceofWesternHolidays
ManyyoungpeopleinChinatodaypreferWesternholidaystotraditionalChinesefestivals.ChristmasisnowcelebratedbytheyoungergenerationalloverChina,andithasbecomeespeciallypopularasaromanticholidayforboyfriendsandgirlfriendsoryoungmarriedcouples.Valentine'sDayisalsoextremelypopular,andevenHalloweenisbeingcelebratednow.
Thisphenomenonhasactuallydevelopedquitenaturallyinrecentdecadesduetooureducationalsystem'sfocusonEnglishstudyandthereforeonEnglish-speakingcultures.Tomanystudents,Westernculturehasbecomeasymbolofself-expressionandfreedomfromrestraint.CelebratingWesternholidayshasbecomeawayforstudentstoexpresstheirloveofsomethingdifferentfromtraditionalChineseculture,andtohavefuntogetherwiththeirowngeneration.
Inmyopinion,it'sfineforstudentslearningEnglishandstudyingEnglish-speakingculturestocelebrateWesternholidayswiththeirteachersandclassmates.However,thewayIseeit,unlesstheyoungpeoplelatergoabroadtoliveinthosecultures,thereisnoreasonforthemtocontinuetocelebratethem.WeChineseshouldholdontoourtraditionalfestivals,thefestivalswhichwehavecelebratedforcenturies.