Christmas was always celebrated in communist times, even in the darkest stalinist times in 1950s.
Depending on the period,. there was a good or bad supply of goods for Christmas. As you know, I have always been obsessed about fruit. Apples were available all year round but nobody cared about them. The only exotic fruit available in good times were oranges and mandarines. In bad times, the oranges were lousy - green, sour ones from Cuba.
I am still haunted by those memories even though communism collapsed 34 years ago.
That is why today the most varied staple which I get for Christmas in food terms is exotic fruit. A dozen or more kinds, while fish - only 3 kinds.
Communists did care for outdoor decorations, though.