Stressed this Christmas season? How about a pillow fight to unwind? For the seventh year, Shanghai City in China holds its annual pillow fight, which was designed as a stress-reliever for its residends to mark the holiday season.

Event Founder Steve Tao said the event was important, especially to those who face pressure at work or in school.

"Many young people in the city have a fast pace of life and have a lot of pressure," Tao said. "We offer this relaxed environment for them to release pressure, adjust their moods and relax their minds," he added.

As the organizers countdown before the pillow fight officially starts, more than a thousand participants held their pillows over their heads in preparation for the pillow fight.

Chen Yue, one of the participants and a university student, found the event exciting, even the part where she became the target of all the pillow throws.

"It's a great feeling when I am hit by others. It's a pillow fight," Chen said.

"It's impossible that you are always hitting others. Sure you will feel great when you are hitting others but you will feel enthusiastic and energetic when hit by others. It will inspire your ambition and you will want to hit it back."

Meanwhile, Office Worker Zhou Wei said it feels good to break out a sweat after slaving in the office all year.

"It's a kind of soft violence to release some sadness and discontents in a year without hurting others," Zhou said. "It feels like a flood breaking the dam after finding a crack. I feel entirely free."

The organizers originally inteded to have 10 rounds of pillow fights with a different set of rules each round. Later on, however, they found it is impossible to get the participants to stop once they started.

The pillow fight was held at a local stadium in Shanghai and the admission costs around $20.