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While many of us spent the last few days stuffing our faces with Christmas treats, singing jolly carols and hoarding presents, one whole city of school children in China were unfortunately unable to celebrate the occasion because the Grinch, a.k.a. adults, had stolen their Christmas.

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In Wenzhou, Zhejiang, most schools held Christmas events to celebrate the festive seasons whenever the holiday rolls around. However, the Wenzhou City Education Department apparently sent out a message this year on Christmas Eve requesting that all schools ban celebrations. The message reads as such:

“Notice: Please pass this message on to all prefectures, cities and counties, all grades in all elementary and middle schools (and kindergartens). No Christmas activities or celebrations shall be held. Please supervise and execute as instructed.”

According to The Department of Education official Zheng Shang Zhong, the reason for the ban is not because it is a Western holiday, but that the city government felt that schools should focus on traditional Chinese holidays instead. He added that the Chinese never had Christmas to begin with and it is merely a marketing tool, so schools should say “no” to Christmas.

What do you think, folks? Is it fair for the government to ban Christmas? Or should we just put this one down to China being China?

Source/Images: ToyChan