Christmas in the PRC

For the second year in a row, I have spent Christmas away from my family.  As many know, I love the Christmas season and I usually spend it cooking up tons of appies, eating truck loads of fudge, and reading books in front of the fire.  Instead of giving up those things, this year I just decided to bring them here to China.  The year we even had a 4 day weekend to make it seem more like an actual holiday!

My Christmas tree

Chris' mom sent us decorations with our names on them

She also sent us stockings to decorate and hang!

A group of us decided to celebrate "12 Days of Christmas."  It is a tradition with Karl and Val's friends back in Manitoba, so we took on the challenge.  The idea is that for the 12 days up to Christmas you have some kind of gathering every evening.  We divided up hosting responsibilities and set out to begin a traditional gluttonous holiday season!

Stuffed mushrooms, bruschetta, devilled eggs, quiche, bacon wraps...

Chris and I hosted twice, cooking up a storm and creating plenty of bacon-wrapped left overs.  I found most of the ingredients for my favourite appies from home.  Baked goods are significantly harder to without an oven, so it was more savoury than sweet.  Will hosted the crew at some of Jin Shi Tan's best restaurants, so we could mix it up with some Chinese dishes.  Monica fed us baked treats that tasted of home.  Jess and Jady shared gourmet rice pudding and mexican wedding cookies.  Sara and Jeanine treated us all to duck and then hosted the main event - turkey dinner on Christmas day.  Karl and Val  hosted three nights and kept us full of mexican food, breads and cheeses and every kind of appetizer.  

Night 3: Karl and Val's

Sara and I at the staff Christmas party

Will and Sara looking sharp

Day 5: Monica's (the principal even joined in!)

Although putting aside all my marking and gym work outs for two weeks was not my healthiest choice, I would do it again at any time.  Although the core group of revellers stayed the same throughout the two weeks, it was great to just relax and spend time with the people we work with every day - but sometimes have a hard time making space for off the clock.  It is so easy to get tied to the line of being too busy to take a break; we are all struggling young teachers trying to teach, assess and live in a crazy country after all.  Although it is not true that I have time every evening, I can certainly adjust my schedule to make the time to hang with the people I care about.

Day 4: The best restaurant in Jinshi, Donkey Dumplings (Notice the picture of us on wall behind us.  Yes we are that famous.

Day 6: The Irish Pub of Jin Shi Tan (makes sense, right?)

Of course, we did turn the event into a competition - after quickly realizing that few people would have the steam to last all 12 days.  Chris, Will and I were the only people to last each and every day!  Some may roll their eyes and say that makes us irresponsible or ridiculous - one even slung around the word idiotic - but to them I say: so what?  It made me feel like I had a bit of my family Christmas all the way around the world.  I didn't feel lonely.  I didn't feel left out from the celebrations of home.  I felt surrounded by friends that have become family, making a great season in the place that we are currently calling home.

Day 10: Back to my pink palace

Day 9: Karl and Val's adopted home, with a free dog!

On Christmas Eve, Sara, Chris, Jeanine and I slept over at Karl and Val's.  We stayed up late watching a Christmas movie and then woke up early to open up our stockings and presents, while lazily drinking back coffee.  It was a lovely morning, and then I went home to have a nice Christmas nap!  In the evening we all came back together to have a real turkey dinner.  Will cooked the turkey in his toaster oven, and everyone brought something to share.  The food was delicious, the company was great, and we all pretended we weren't going back to work the next day.

Opening stockings on Christmas day

Jeanine opening up her Christmas gifts

Christmas in China was just fine :)