Key Takeaways

• Christmas in China is social, not traditional: Young people celebrate with friends and couples, making plans, outings, and experiences more important than family or religious rituals.

• Popular gifts follow practicality and beauty trends: Skincare, grooming, cozy accessories, sweets, and small keepsakes dominate because they solve winter’s tiny problems and feel thoughtful.

• Teeth whitening kits are a fresh, giftable idea: Compact, easy-to-use, and modern, they fit naturally into beauty routines while adding a memorable, practical twist to the usual gift list.

• Early planning is key: With Black Friday & Cyber Monday deals, thoughtful gifting in 2025 is about being an early shopper, grabbing practical, useful, and personal items before the rush.

Introduction 

The world feels smaller these days. Festivals like Christmas used to feel like they belonged to other people’s winter—belonged to postcards from places far away, like snowy streets in the United States, or festive ads we only saw in foreign films. 

Then everything got stitched together. Cheaper flights, faster trends, cultures brushing past each other at grocery aisles and comment sections.

Now by the end of every year, the whole world slips into the same color scheme—red ribbons, gold-wired trees that aren’t real, green wreaths we borrow the vibe of even if snow never arrives in most provinces. Cities, from malls in China to holiday storefronts lit up like tiny suns in the USA, start looking like someone cranked the saturation knob a little too enthusiastically.

And honestly? The best part is the deals. Flashing sale tags, overfilled carts, the quiet victory of grabbing something good before it sells out.

Gifting in 2025 isn’t about loud shock value anymore. It’s about picking something practical enough to get used to, personal enough to feel warm, and thoughtful enough to say: Yeah, this was planned. 

Christmas in China- a festival that looks like love letters & an annual social event 

Christmas isn’t “ours” the way Lunar New Year is; we know that.

But it’s become a December checkpoint anyway. Like exams, year-end reviews, New Year photos, and the race to catch holiday sales before midnight strikes. What makes the celebration interesting is the way it transformed locally. Instead of being a quiet, spiritual day, it’s become a social one. It’s not the “family dinner + church bells” holiday here. 

It’s very much “Let’s go out tonight.” Friends make plans. Couples make plans. In short, Plans top traditions here

Restaurants get booked before you even think about dinner. Hotpot soup fogs up windows like warm chemistry experiments. Ice rinks sound like impatience—rented skates scratching against the surface like furious pencil strokes. Karaoke rooms become small kingdoms of loud emotion and questionable high notes. 

There’s a collective, quiet mission: make the night count. Even if the heritage isn’t ours, the moment definitely is.

That’s the Chinese way of adopting Western festivals now. Yes, it almost works like an informal Valentine’s Day DLC—romantic upgrades available, family reunion optional. And then there’s the local Santa pop-culture remix.

Chinese Santa Claus often plays a saxophone. Not carols. Not tiny bells. A sax. It’s unexpected, a little jazzy, and honestly, very on-brand for a festival that doesn’t take itself too seriously but really enjoys the spotlight.

What Gifts Usually Mean at Christmas

Despite so many differences in celebration, one thing remains the same: shopping and gift exchange. In the West, people exchange gifts with each and every family member, but in China, gifting on Christmas is limited to young people, friends, couples, and siblings. 

If you’ve spent even one winter scrolling Chinese e-commerce gift lists, you’ll notice the pattern. Gifts tend to be one of these:

• Couple items:  matching scarves, cozy socks, engraved keychains, and complementary jewelry.

• Experience add-ons: ice-skating vouchers, reserved cinema seats, and a hotpot dinner planned as the gift itself.

• Beauty routine staples: hand creams for dry winter skin, lip balms that smell like candied fruit, scented candles, sheet masks.

• Sweet surprises: chocolates, bento of desserts, personalized mini cakes with cute messages.

• Small keepsakes: tiny plush toys, snow globes, photo-based gifts, polaroid frames, stickers.
  
  

None of these is wrong. They’re sweet. They show attention. They solve winter’s tiny problems—cracked lips, cold hands, dry air, chilly subway commutes. But they’re also common. Predictable isn’t the same as bad, but it’s not memorable either. Not in the way that makes someone stop mid-sidewalk and grin.

And here’s the nuance no one admits loud enough—most of us have too much of the “usual stuff” already. 

The New Addition to Every Beauty Pouch

From the above list, it's obvious to see that Christmas gifting among young people in China has been dominated by beauty and grooming for years. Moisturizers, lip balms, hair tools—mostly because winter demands maintenance and beauty demands upgrades. These gifts are easy to wrap, easy to carry, and easy to justify when the discount tags roll out in December.

But teeth? That category used to live far away from the “gift ideas” tab. It felt dental. Slightly serious. But it's about time people change this habit and give something for oral care. We have something that is modern, thoughtful, and gift-friendly: a Teeth whitening kit.
A teeth whitening kit can slip into Christmas gifting now without needing a moment of seriousness around it. It’s small enough to wrap like a beauty set, practical enough to get tried soon, and thoughtful in a quiet, “I know you” or “I know your lifestyle,” and this will fit in it perfectly.

Different, useful, and finally—gift-friendly without being weird.

Why This Makes a Great Gift 

• Practical & Personal: It doesn’t demand a performance from the receiver. You’re gifting a moment they can try, not a routine overhaul.

• Perfect for Couples & Friends: Works as a shared pause for couples or a low-pressure confidence boost for friends.

• No Guesswork: No worrying about shades, sizes, or piling up items they already own.

• Modern & Easy to Use: LED devices activate the gel for smoother, faster, and more fun sessions.

• Visible Results: The payoff is immediate and noticeable, making the gesture feel real, not symbolic.

Kit-style gifts are trending year-end on AliExpress or offline in quick-grab aisles across Shanghai.

The best gifts in 2025 don’t make people nervous before opening. They make people curious after opening. And a whitening kit does exactly that—it invites a try, not a thesis.

You’re not gifting teeth whitening because it’s common.

You’re gifting it because it finally feels normal enough to give, and interesting enough to remember.

Where to Find Them

Gli gli has Black Friday & Cyber Monday sale live on site. 

Up to 60% Off sitewide, sale is live till 26 Nov to 3 Dec. 

Don’t wait for last-minute shopping and Christmas offers. Shop early on Black Friday & Cyber Monday sale —be an early planner! Grab Gli Gli whitening kits now during the Black Friday sale.

FAQ 

Q1. Is Christmas widely celebrated in China?

Yes, especially among young people in cities. It’s mostly a social holiday for friends, couples, and shopping, rather than a family or religious celebration.

Q2. What are popular gifts among young Chinese during Christmas?

Beauty and grooming products, skincare, small tech gadgets, and winter essentials are the most common gifts for friends and couples.

3. When should I start Christmas shopping in China?

Earlier is better. Sales like Black Friday and Cyber Monday are great for planning, avoiding last-minute stress, and scoring deals on popular items.

4. How do people usually celebrate Christmas in cities like Shanghai or Beijing?

Young people go out with friends or dates—shopping, dining, ice skating, or karaoke—rather than traditional family gatherings. Gifts are often exchanged during these outings.