In China, Christmas is not a religious holiday. There are no midnight masses, nativity scenes, or long family meals. Yet, the night of December 24th has become one of the most romantic and symbolic events of the Chinese urban winter in recent years.
It's called Ping An Ye , the Night of Peace , and it's a young, surprising, and profoundly poetic tradition. Its symbol is neither a star nor a bell: it's an apple . Yes: on Christmas Eve, in China, people give each other apples, and behind this gesture lies a meaning that reveals much more than it seems.
What is the Night of Peace (Ping An Ye)
Ping An Ye (平安夜) is the Chinese version of Christmas Eve. It doesn't originate from an ancient religious tradition, but from a linguistic game that became a collective ritual.
In Chinese, “Christmas Night” is平安夜 (Ping An Ye) , which literally means night of peace . The word for “apple” is苹果 (Ping Guo) . Ping An (peace) and Ping Guo (apple) sound very similar. Hence the idea: giving an apple means wishing peace, protection, and serenity to the person who receives it.
In a culture that places enormous value on auspices, symbols, and words, this phonetic game has become a powerful gesture. Today, the apple is the true heart of the Chinese Christmas.
Why Apples Are Important at Christmas in China
On December 24th, in China's big cities, apples are not just fruits.
They are symbolic gifts , packaged individually, often in elegant boxes, with colored paper, golden bows, and greetings.
Giving an apple means saying:
- I wish you a peaceful year
- I wish you protection
- I wish you balance
- I wish you peace
It's a romantic, kind, intimate gesture. It's the Chinese way of saying "I love you" in winter. It's no coincidence that Ping An Ye has become the favorite holiday of young couples , students, and friends. It's a night of illuminated walks, small gifts, messages, and promises.
How to experience the Night of Peace today
In cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Chengdu, or Hangzhou, the evening of December 24th is a mix of decorated shopping malls, gold and red lights, Western Christmas music, themed cafes and bubble tea shops, and stalls selling packaged peace apples . It's not a religious Christmas , it's a Christmas. emotional, a celebration that speaks of feelings, wishes, relationships and this is precisely why it has become so loved by the new generations.
A red apple in a golden box tells a wish, a story, an entire culture. It's the perfect fusion of East and West : Christmas without religion, but with immense meaning.
