Cities Around Asia in Holiday Spirit for Christmas

Christmas celebrations are going on across Asia, with massive parties, Christmas markets, lights and even a Santa diving with penguins.

Transcript

00:00It's the most widely celebrated holiday in the world, and here in Taiwan, tens of thousands

00:10of people flocked to New Taipei for this massive Christmas party, with performances, games,

00:19and a giant LED light show.

00:24Even the city's mayor joined the celebration, sharing his wishes for the new year.

00:44Across Asia, where the Philippines and East Timor are the only predominantly Christian

00:48countries, Christmas, which marks the birth of Jesus Christ, has been widely commercialized.

00:53And while many don't celebrate the holiday for religious reasons, they still join in

00:57on holiday traditions.

00:59Leading the festivities, the Philippine capital Manila is festooned with decor as early as

01:04September, as the country celebrates the longest Christmas season in the world.

01:09In Tokyo, Christmas lights sparkle across the city, and at one aquarium, people gathered

01:13to watch a diver dressed as Santa swim with African penguins.

01:26Crowds of people shop at stalls in a Christmas market in Seoul, and in Bangkok, a viral mascot

01:31called Butterbear dances to pop songs in a Christmas outfit.

01:39In Beijing, hundreds of Catholics attended a Christmas Eve mass, as police stood outside.

01:45Christianity has been suppressed in China, with the demolition of churches and persecution

01:49of priests, as the Chinese Communist Party aims to control religious groups, fearing

01:54they may challenge the CCP's authority.

01:57Still, people crowded into Christmas markets in Shanghai, complete with mulled wine and

02:02a merry-go-round.

02:03Whether people celebrate it religiously, or join in just for the fun and tradition of

02:07The Christmas spirit can be felt across Asia, a reason to end the year with hope and cheer.