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On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the number of people crossing Shenzhen checkpoints reached 188,000 and 216,000 respectively. Many were foreigners, who chose to spend Christmas in Shenzhen, shopping or celebrating the holiday with friends.

"I will just have a party with friends in Shenzhen to celebrate the festival. To my surprise, Christmas night in Shenzhen is so brilliant," said an American identified as James, who works in Hong Kong.

In Luohu Commercial City, a German couple was selecting necklaces at a jewelry stand. "The mall has a variety of beautiful things and we are just trying to buy some special Christmas gifts for our daughter," they said.

Many expats working in Shenzhen chose to stay in the city for the holiday period and spent the festival with Chinese and foreign friends.

On Christmas eve, the Jingshan Villas in Shekou, home to hundreds of foreigners from 22 countries, was in a warm, festive atmosphere.

Bursts of cheers and Christmas music permeated the community, which was decorated with colorful lights.

The bars on Shekou Bar Street were also crowded with foreigners.

Many foreign friends also took part in celebrations in other parts of Nanshan District.

In a disco bar in Nanshan, a group of young Shenzhen people were dancing with foreign friends.

Bill, a Canadian now teaching in Shenzhen, said: "The metropolis lifestyle in Shenzhen is really beyond my expectations, and the whole city is full of vitality."

American Harold Smith, a professor working at Shenzhen University, invited 15 Chinese people to his family party on Christmas Eve. He said he was happy to see his Chinese wife and three daughters spending the evening with Santa Claus and Chinese friends.

Editor: Catherine