Christmas...in China.


You are probably wondering if China celebrates Christmas and if so, what could it possibly be like!? China is a relatively a-religious nation and anything relating to Christianity or any other religious identity is extremely rare. Christmas has become iconic of the holiday season transcending (for many) beyond the original religious affiliation. I have a secret, I absolutely love Christmas (expect for the whole jesus thing), the big tree (in my home we called it the 'Hanukah bush' and decorated our already-part-of-the-decor fake ginko tree with eggplants and cucumbers because our living room was purple and olive), colorful presents, blinking lights, milestone, the smell of pine, and the feeling that a blanket of 'world peace' has wrapped our earth and snuggled it within the folds of happiness. Its a time of beauty and love that stretches across the globe and so, yes, even China is affected. Shenzhen is in the tropics so our Christmas time resembles what you would find in Florida. Trees (all synthetic), no snow, people wearing sweaters instead of jackets and the general displacement of the stray plastic reindeer. Since Shenzhen is almost completely apartments and condos you will not find a single home adorned with icicles and the cheesy blow-up lawn ornaments, instead, housing complexes 'decorate' their lobbies with trees and lights. One thing that is interesting is that if you are foreigner, everyone thinks you celebrate Christmas. I must have told my coworkers at least 5 times that I was Jewish, celebrated a different holiday, and that this day held no significance....no matter what, I still got the 'are you taking the day off?' and a startled reaction to my negative response. Either way, I tried to replicate the holiday spirit by buying christmas music and going, with friends, to a buffet at an expat hang-out. Although my time was pleasant, I failed to capture the Christmas joy I typically experience back in the states...and for dinner, I did what all Jews do, ordered Chinese food and watched a movie ('Crash' is amazing. Everyone should watch it).

All in all, Shenzhen tried to bring Christmas to the city, but it reminded me of 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'-an out of place holiday trying to be incorporated in an environment that didn't know how to embrace it.

However, maybe its not Shenzhen at all, maybe its the fact that the holidays are about being around the people that you love-and I'm the one displaced (I think this may be the first holiday season ever that I didn't see my family). I may sound depressed or sad, but I'm not. I would prefer to be home, surrounded by my family and friends, but I am making the most of it here and creating my own Christmas even if its only a shadow of what I'm used to.

So, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a very Happy New Year!!