Online Class Notes (Jesse)

it’s good to teach people about western festivals

it’s fun for kids especially / get presents

it makes people forget about chinese traditions

we already have enough holidays

Vocabulary

i’m on the fence – undecided

People have got different traditions and festivals in their own countries, and some people feel that people in China should be familiar with festivals and holidays in western countries and celebrate them. However, others disagree with this and believe that we should stick to our own culture and holidays. So, should we celebrate western festivals, or not?

Those who believe that we should celebrate western festivals think that it can let Chinese people know more about western culture and their traditions, which can help them to communicate with westerns more easily. Furthermore, it can teach people the positive concepts and ideas behind festivals such as thanksgiving and christmas. Celebrating these festivals can teach kids to be thankful for what they have, as well as how to be humble and kind to others. Celebrating these festivals can also bring a lot of fun and joy, in that gift giving, giving cards, cosplaying and dressing up, playing with new toys are all incredibly enjoyable and fulfilling for children and adults alike.

On the other hand, some people worry that when their children go out to live in another country and celebrate western festivals primarily, they will forget about the traditions and festivals of their mother country, which could have a huge impact on communicating with people back home. This may cause a breakdown in understanding between themselves and their family and friends. Others believe we already have enough festivals and holidays as it is, and feel that adding more holidays will cause problems for the economy, and society as a whole. Having too many days off may not be a good thing for many companies as it would decrease the amount of time their workers have to be productive, which could cause many companies to go bankrupt. This is affect the economy in a negative way.

To sum up, I feel that we should be clear about Chinese traditions, before celebrating western traditions and festivals, as this can create a more meaningful and positive atmosphere which is supportive of both our local culture as well as the international community.