This is a funny video about Christmas and Hanukkah in China. Japan is the same way; Christmas is a commercial holiday, and Hanukkah is virtually unknown.
Why is it surprising that Chinese and Japanese know Christmas, yet don’t know Hannukah? It’s that way everywhere in the world with the exception of two countries: the United States and Israel.
hannukah is not as fun as christmas that’s why it’s not adopted by other countries but then again who cares they don’t even know the meaning of christmas so i don’t know why that annoying chick won’t leave them alone.
i don’t think it’s a matter of having a large jewish population. for a long time i was the only jewish person in school, but everyone had some notion of channukah. i’m willing to make a bet that homogeneous countries like china, japan, india and non-Western countries don’t put the effort or resources into diversity education.
I’ve only lived in Japan (not China) but there was certainly a lack of depth in understanding the diversity of western culture. At the same time though, I don’t think that any people in North America know what Obon is. I think the more people learn about different cultures and religions the better, but it’s unreasonable to expect a Japanese person to know the specific holidays of a minority group barely represented in their country, and not as widely practiced throughout the world. They may have embraced the idea of Christmas in Asia but in a purely secular and commercialized way. I’m not sure if I were religious whether I’d want my holiday to be embraced in the same way. All that being said it was a fun video that I apologize for overanalyzing. I was shocked originally when my students didn’t know anything about Hannukah.
During WWII there was a large population of Jewish living in Shanghai, but they probably all left after the war, so not much influence of Jewish culture from that experience.
I don’t know why she would bother, judaism isn’t going to be a known religion in a atheist state that censors anything to do with religion. Christmas snuck in because it’s not a big religious holiday anymore, it’s commercialized. I’m sure people would be more aware of more prevalent religious holiday, from Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, maybe even Shintoism… but there’s no way they’re aware Hanukkah. Get real.
Well … Since I’m not from USA or an Asiatic country I have a different point of view ..
I don’t think is a matter of country or ethnicity for me it seems to be a matter of religion. (I do understand that religion and ethnicity seems to be together but not all the times.)
In my Country (México) We do celebrate Christmas but for us is different we don’t celebrate a feeling we celebrate the birthday of Jesus and not all Mexicans celebrate the holiday this is only a celebration for the Catholic People. Since almost all the population of this country is catholic seems to be a big holiday but there is also hannukah that only the Jewish celebrate but is well known too.
In México the kids get their presents from 3 kings Melchor, Gaspar and Balthazar on January 6th .. We call it Día de Reyes (Kings day). Thanks to Globalization more and more kids also getting their presents fron Santa Claus too. Mexican Christmas does not include the christmas tree actually we use a nativity scene instead of it any way again thanks to same thing now more and more familys have a christmas tree.
Hell, how many Christians in America actually celebrate Christmas? I’m talking the birth of Jesus, what he represented, what he died for, etc. And not just on the Sunday before, but on the 24th & 25th. Instead, many children are brought up to expect a B&E from some white, overweight, geriatric, philanthropist who will leave them meaningless consumer goods.
It’s terrible to see this celebration of Christs birth be transformed into that. I originally hail from Russia and Christmas was specifically a Christian holiday, New Years was the day to give your gifts.
Whether or not that truly is the day he was born I and all other churches continue to keep Christ in the celebration, and not to just the fact that its his birthday but to remember what he truly did when he came and what he wants us to do.
Besides the fact that she was annoying and pushy, it’s a pretty ridiculous video. Christmas is celebrated very differently in other predominantly Christian countries (as others have mentioned here). When I was a kid in Belgium, we had Saint Nicholas. BTW, Saint Nick is not the same as Santa- he looks completely different (skinny!)- we left carrots in our shoes for the reindeer, etc. That picture would not be relevant.
It’s pretty funny that she doesn’t know much about other cultures (including Christmas in other countries), but expects people in China to know about holidays from other cultures.
Hanukkah is awesome, I celebrate it by eating loads n loads of bacon (bought from Sam’s Club with a coupon, just to keep it kosher) as well as a whole rack of baby back ribs.
Joe Chang says:
July 2nd, 2008 at 1:05 pmWhy is it surprising that Chinese and Japanese know Christmas, yet don’t know Hannukah? It’s that way everywhere in the world with the exception of two countries: the United States and Israel.
artur says:
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:20 pmhannukah is not as fun as christmas that’s why it’s not adopted by other countries but then again who cares they don’t even know the meaning of christmas so i don’t know why that annoying chick won’t leave them alone.
suprised says:
July 10th, 2008 at 1:07 pmannoying????? that chick was hot!!!!
Carmen says:
July 13th, 2008 at 2:02 amYou have to be joking, she’s ridiculously annoying!
wordman says:
July 19th, 2008 at 11:31 amand how many jews are in japan and china?
hannukah isnt very major in australia either, the jews usually celebrate by themselves.
Jason says:
September 21st, 2008 at 5:38 pmi don’t think it’s a matter of having a large jewish population. for a long time i was the only jewish person in school, but everyone had some notion of channukah. i’m willing to make a bet that homogeneous countries like china, japan, india and non-Western countries don’t put the effort or resources into diversity education.
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Greg says:
September 28th, 2008 at 7:07 pmhere in australia no-one has ever heard of hannukah.
Canadajin says:
October 8th, 2008 at 10:27 amI’ve only lived in Japan (not China) but there was certainly a lack of depth in understanding the diversity of western culture. At the same time though, I don’t think that any people in North America know what Obon is. I think the more people learn about different cultures and religions the better, but it’s unreasonable to expect a Japanese person to know the specific holidays of a minority group barely represented in their country, and not as widely practiced throughout the world. They may have embraced the idea of Christmas in Asia but in a purely secular and commercialized way. I’m not sure if I were religious whether I’d want my holiday to be embraced in the same way. All that being said it was a fun video that I apologize for overanalyzing. I was shocked originally when my students didn’t know anything about Hannukah.
Yen says:
November 15th, 2008 at 9:39 amDuring WWII there was a large population of Jewish living in Shanghai, but they probably all left after the war, so not much influence of Jewish culture from that experience.
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benny says:
November 22nd, 2008 at 8:26 pmI don’t know why she would bother, judaism isn’t going to be a known religion in a atheist state that censors anything to do with religion. Christmas snuck in because it’s not a big religious holiday anymore, it’s commercialized. I’m sure people would be more aware of more prevalent religious holiday, from Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, maybe even Shintoism… but there’s no way they’re aware Hanukkah. Get real.
Virginia says:
December 18th, 2008 at 10:46 pmWell … Since I’m not from USA or an Asiatic country I have a different point of view ..
I don’t think is a matter of country or ethnicity for me it seems to be a matter of religion. (I do understand that religion and ethnicity seems to be together but not all the times.)
In my Country (México) We do celebrate Christmas but for us is different we don’t celebrate a feeling we celebrate the birthday of Jesus and not all Mexicans celebrate the holiday this is only a celebration for the Catholic People. Since almost all the population of this country is catholic seems to be a big holiday but there is also hannukah that only the Jewish celebrate but is well known too.
In México the kids get their presents from 3 kings Melchor, Gaspar and Balthazar on January 6th .. We call it Día de Reyes (Kings day). Thanks to Globalization more and more kids also getting their presents fron Santa Claus too. Mexican Christmas does not include the christmas tree actually we use a nativity scene instead of it any way again thanks to same thing now more and more familys have a christmas tree.
rahs says:
December 30th, 2008 at 6:31 amHell, how many Christians in America actually celebrate Christmas? I’m talking the birth of Jesus, what he represented, what he died for, etc. And not just on the Sunday before, but on the 24th & 25th. Instead, many children are brought up to expect a B&E from some white, overweight, geriatric, philanthropist who will leave them meaningless consumer goods.
Akishkin says:
January 2nd, 2009 at 3:56 pmIt’s terrible to see this celebration of Christs birth be transformed into that. I originally hail from Russia and Christmas was specifically a Christian holiday, New Years was the day to give your gifts.
Whether or not that truly is the day he was born I and all other churches continue to keep Christ in the celebration, and not to just the fact that its his birthday but to remember what he truly did when he came and what he wants us to do.
Tin says:
January 6th, 2009 at 5:11 pm中國的聖誕節是一個純商業的聖誕節..
很少人知道聖誕節的起源..
bouley says:
March 2nd, 2011 at 3:45 amBesides the fact that she was annoying and pushy, it’s a pretty ridiculous video. Christmas is celebrated very differently in other predominantly Christian countries (as others have mentioned here). When I was a kid in Belgium, we had Saint Nicholas. BTW, Saint Nick is not the same as Santa- he looks completely different (skinny!)- we left carrots in our shoes for the reindeer, etc. That picture would not be relevant.
It’s pretty funny that she doesn’t know much about other cultures (including Christmas in other countries), but expects people in China to know about holidays from other cultures.
Amy W says:
December 20th, 2011 at 10:32 pmHanukkah is awesome, I celebrate it by eating loads n loads of bacon (bought from Sam’s Club with a coupon, just to keep it kosher) as well as a whole rack of baby back ribs.