My views on people gaining interests in celebrating western festivals
Nowadays, nobody can deny the fact that an increasing number of Chinese young people are habitually engaged in celebrating some Western festivals like Valentine’s Day and Christmas. For instance, on Valentine’s Day the majority of young people will send flowers and delicately decorated chocolate to their beloved ones. On Christmas, there will be Santa Clause’s pictures hanging on the show windows of different stores and Christmas trees and other related products also can be found in those places. This phenomenon has been brought into public attention in our society. Some people deem that it is beneficial for young people in China to gain interests in celebrating Western festivals in many aspects whereas others hold the entirely contrasting point of view. Among the numerous factors influencing people’s opinions, there are five conspicuous reasons that consist in my conviction that the merits of young people in gaining interests in celebrating Western festivals outweigh its demerits and we young people in China should celebrate some Western festivals selectively.
First and foremost, celebrating western festivals is an essential method for young people in China to adapt to this increasingly global world. With the constantly cultural exchange among different countries, we are kept being exposed to new cultures. If we young people did not have any interest in celebrating western festivals, it might mean, to some extent, we do not conform to the current trend and cannot keep ourselves informed of what is going on throughout the world. Therefore, we are bound to maintain our interest in celebrating western festivals.
Furthermore, it is celebrating western festivals that provides young people more opportunities to comprehend different cultures. By celebrating the Western festivals, young people in China can have a more vivid understanding
of Western cultures than just by reading books. At the same time, we will also see the differences between western values and eastern values by celebrating both native and western festivals. It can provoke more consideration about our own culture among us young people so that we may ponder over some related issues more critically. Thus, not only does celebrating western festivals open Chinese young people’s horizon but also facilitates our ability of critical thinking.
Moreover, celebrating Western festivals boosts our nation’s economy. Young people, without any doubt, are the main force of consumption during the celebration of Western festivals. With the aim to pursue more profits, retailers usually hold a sales promotion during this period by offering discounts. In this way, not only young people but also people of other ages may be involved in the celebration to pick up several good bargains. It is more of a chance to go shopping than a ceremony to celebrate certain things. Both consumers and retailers will benefit from the celebration of western festivals because this phenomenon may stimulate the inactive market and contribute to the sustained boom of our nation’s economy.
What’s more, celebrating western festivals can make the life of young people in China more colorful and exciting. We Chinese have our own traditional festivals, but Western festivals can distinguish themselves from ours with the fresh feelings and customs they give us. Our traditional festival “Double Seventh Festival” is a case in point. This festival falls on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month. It has a long history and a beautiful love story about the Weaver Maid and the Cowherd. However, instead of undermining the celebration of Double Seventh Festival, the coming of the brand-new Valentine’s Day provides young with a new kind of feeling and enhances the possibility of embracing new thoughts. Many young people have a great passion for celebrating this festival and they are becoming more and more
courageous to express their love to their beloved ones thanks to the influence of Valentine spirit.
Celebrating western festivals is also a good way of young people in China to get together with friends. We young people usually spend Chinese traditional festivals with our family and visiting other relatives but we rarely have chances to enjoy quality time with our friends during holidays. Celebrating western makes up for this situation. Owing to our common interests in celebrating western festivals, I am convinced that a reunion during the celebration will be a big success.
Last but not least，lasting interests in celebrating some western festivals is highly correlated with Chinese young people’s keeping good virtues, especially Chinese traditional virtues. The most apparent example is the celebration of the western festival “Thanksgiving Day”. The thought of “thanks” has been influencing Chinese people since a very long time ago, but there does not exist a traditional festival concentrating on “thanks” among our own Chinese festivals. The coming of Thanksgiving Day makes up for this situation. It offers us young people an opportunity to recall others’ help and show our gratitude to them. Festivals of this kind can remind people of the importance and necessity of “thanks”. The same also applies for the western Father’s Day and Mother’s Day. These two western festivals always manage to divert our attention from the competitive society and pressured academic study to our parents, who are long tolerant of our neglect and never complain to us. Consequently, as long as properly used, some western festivals can be vital to keep our Chinese traditional values.
From the above discussion, we can come to a natural conclusion that it is an irresistible trend that celebrating western festivals will become increasingly
popular among young people in China and this tendency cannot be shifted in the near future. However, meanwhile we young people also should be aware that the same importance must be attached to our Chinese traditional festivals while celebrating western festivals. On one hand, we cannot abandon our own culture and traditional values only to celebrate western festivals. On the other hand, we can try to celebrate some meaningful western festivals in our Chinese way with our own culture as the core of the celebration. Only in this way, can we young people maintain our interests and passion to learn and our Chinese traditional culture can be developed and glorified.