A Very Merry Christmas.. Chinese style!

Christmas came to Yichang in the form of silly cardboard Santa cutouts on every door, the absolute worst children's carols playing in Walmart, and glitzy trees in the display windows of shops all around town. Other than the commercial benefits of this sacred holiday, Christmas doesn't really mean too much to most Chinese people unless they're Christian. Yichang does have about 3 churches though so there's got to be some kind of Christian population in this place.. Anyway, it really didn't come as a surprise that this city wasn't making all that big of a deal about Christmas, but I definitely wasn't prepared for some of the particular ways this holiday would end up being different here in China.

Lets start with the decorations...

First of all, skinny Santa.  Wut? Stop it.

you can see the Christmas decorations right up next to the Chinese New Years decorations at Walmart

Really giant christmas tree decoration made out of string lights. 
I was impressed!

Christmas tree display in Walmart

Traditions

The Chinese have a cool tradition of giving each other apples on Christmas Eve. This is because the words for Christmas Eve (Ping’ānyè) supposedly sounds similar to the words for apple (píng guŏ). To me, they sound nothing alike, but I'm obviously no authority on the Chinese language, and I'm not about to go complaining about people giving me apples.. Walking Street, which is the most popular nightlife area in Yichang, was totally hopping on Christmas Eve. I find it funny that the words for Christmas Eve--ping’ānyè-- translate to directly to "silent night," when the truth is that this night is far from silent here in China! Instead, it can be labeled more accurately as a carnival night of sorts. People walking around the streets wearing glittery masks, glowing devil horns and giant Minnie Mouse ears; the bars and KTVs overflowing with drunken youths happy for an excuse to party on a weeknight; and the street vendors out in full force selling balloons and various light-up toys. Once I got over the various Christmas blasphemies I was witnessing, I was able to shrug it off and enjoy Christmastime Chinese-style with my friends. I started out the night with my wonderful foreign teacher friends at a bar called Happy Hometown. Lindsey and I slipped off briefly to get some hot chocolate from McDonalds to have with our Bailey's, and along the way a jolly group of Chinese guys selling various glowy things flagged us down, wished us Merry Christmas, and handed us each an apple wrapped up in the cutest little Merry Christmas gift boxes.

Happy laowai at Happy Hometown :)



My university friends and I also had a Christmas party at my friend Sam's apartment.. although I have to say the only Christmas-y thing about it was the White Elephant gift exchange. I got a poop-shaped piggy bank, which I have to say I'm pretty dang psyched about. I actually did need something to put my spare change in! I use cash for almost everything here because most shops don't have a bank card swiper machine thing, so I have quite the coin collection going on over here!

Lindsey had the brilliant idea of bringing men's USA underwear for her white elephant gift. A definite crowd-pleaser.

 On Christmas Day, our good friends invited Lindsey and I to their family Christmas dinner. I can't even begin to describe how comforting this was after the least-Christmasy Christmas that I had ever experienced. We ate so well that night, thanks to master chef Darren and his lovely wife Tao! They made turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans and chili. I brought over some roasted carrots. After dinner we played Uno and ate strawberry shortcake. So thankful for this wonderful family! <3

I guest-taught for a Christmas Party at an English training center where one of my Chinese friends works! In this pic I am teaching the kids how to sing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."

 And last but certainly not least.. the Jin Dongfang Christmas party!

     

...and I HAD to get a picture with the principal Mr. Shi dressed up as Santa!