My Chinese Christmas

The same students that threw me a birthday party saw fit to throw a Christmas party in my honor.  It was a very nice, touching gesture, but… it was exactly the same thing they did for my birthday.  We played the same cake game and they sang songs, only this time they threw in a few extras like a cup stacking performance and some mad Rubik’s cube solving.  They wanted me to try unscrambling a Rubik’s cube, but of course I couldn’t.  It was even one of those four square ones to make it easier, but I just twisted it around for a few minutes before holding it out proudly in front of me and exclaiming “ta da!”  Perhaps the funniest part of the night was at the beginning when one student asked if anyone could tell us about Christmas traditions in America.  One guy I’d never seen before enthusiastically volunteered.  He went to the front of the class and with a huge grin on his face said, “I’ve never seen a foreigner before.  But today I saw one.  So I am very happy.”  I wasn’t sure if I should laugh or be irritated, but the first student’s response put a smile on my face when she said “Ok… but I asked if someone could tell us about Christmas traditions.”

Speaking of traditions, this Christmas and new year celebration were about as nontraditional as they could be.  While Christmas is recognized by the stores with their fancy decorations and festive music, I don’t think anyone really celebrates the holiday here.  They might go out for a nice dinner, but that’s about it.  And that’s just what we did, if you consider pizza a “nice dinner”.

Missing out on a traditional Christmas made me realize how much I like the season.  I haven’t been too festive the past few years, but you can rest assured I’ll be whipping out an itchy Christmas sweater, constructing candy homes, and throwing up decorations next year.  Ew… sick, maybe I’ll just put up decorations instead.  All with my family of course, because that’s what really makes the season, and what was missing most from mine.