Few Asians are Christian but people across the vast continent are embracing the holiday as a great excuse for shopping, partying and even romance. Come December, Christmas lights brighten shopping streets in cities from Beijing to Colombo, while images of Santa Claus and Rudolph adorn office buildings, shops and restaurants. Shopping malls in Indonesia, the country with the largest number of Muslims, play carols like ?Silent Night? and ?Jingle Bells? through speakers during the year-end holiday season.

?Most workers here are Muslim but we also celebrate Christmas just like we celebrate Eid al-Fitr. We are complementing each other with these costumes and ornaments,? said Jakarta restaurant receptionist Lina Novianti, wearing a red Santa Claus hat. The Moslem celebration Eid al-Fitr marks the end of fasting during Ramadan. Every year the Indonesian president and top officials attend national Christmas celebrations with church groups.

In atheist China ? where Catholics banned from recognizing Rome hold secret vigils ? Christmas does not enjoy official sanction, but Christmas Eve has become one of the biggest party nights of the year for young professionals. ?Bars, karaoke halls, restaurants, they all get completely packed on Christmas Eve,? Zu Min, who sells Christmas trees and wreaths from a Beijing parking lot, told Reuters. ?More and more Chinese people are buying Christmas trees now.?

Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka, which already enjoys at least one public holiday each month to celebrate the Buddha?s teachings, has also adopted Christmas, Easter, Ramadan and the Hindu festival of lights Deepvali, making it a world leader in days off. Tinsel has even been put up inside commercial aircraft that fly from mainly Buddhist Colombo to predominantly Hindu Jaffna.

In Japan, Christmas Eve has taken on a meaning similar to Valentine?s Day, being the time for romance among young couples. Christmas issues of Japanese magazines highlight dating hot spots, complete with hotel recommendations and discount coupons. ?We will spend the day together in some romantic place like this,? said Akikazu Hamazawa, 22, a student shopping with his girlfriend at the swanky Roppongi Hills in Tokyo. For an early dose of Christmas spirit, come to Singapore, a shopping haven where lights and baubles go up in October. ?Other festive celebrations here, such as Chinese New Year or the Indian Deepvali, cannot compete with Christmas,? said Siva Kumar, 25, a university student in a supermarket stocked with canned cranberry sauce and instant turkey stuffing.

Nur Dianah SUHAIMI