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Dec. 6th, 2006 10:14 pm10 days! Only 10 days until we head home for America!
I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait!
I feel like a 6 year old waiting for Christmas morning!
Ok, enough with the exclamation marks. Speaking of Christmas, I was surprised to see that Christmas is very celebrated here in China. I assumed it wouldn't be, considering that Christianity is not a large part of the Chinese culture. I was very wrong. There are gigantic Christmas trees in all the hotel lobbies. White ones, silver one and of course, evergreens. Yesterday I saw a dancing santa outside a Korean restaurant. In a way, I feel unsettled by the fact that Christmas is so celebrated here. I suppose in America, I can believe that there are still a large number of people who celebrate Christmas in remembrance of Jesus' birthday. But here, it is completely commercial. 100% commercialized. I know, I'm being cynical. A large part of Christmas is just the love between family and friends, and the joy of gift giving. Why can't I accept that those things are what comprise the Christmas holiday for the Chinese people?
Still, when I was at Carrefour yesterday, they were playing Christmas music loudly over the intercom. "O, Come All Ye Faithful" and "Silent Night" all being sung in Chinese. I wondered, what do these songs mean to them? Are they just beautiful music? Do they realize what Christmas signifies? I asked Sailing and Cat why the Chinese celebrate Christmas and they both just giggled at me. Yes, I suppose I deserve to be laughed at for thinking about this too hard.
I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait!
I feel like a 6 year old waiting for Christmas morning!
Ok, enough with the exclamation marks. Speaking of Christmas, I was surprised to see that Christmas is very celebrated here in China. I assumed it wouldn't be, considering that Christianity is not a large part of the Chinese culture. I was very wrong. There are gigantic Christmas trees in all the hotel lobbies. White ones, silver one and of course, evergreens. Yesterday I saw a dancing santa outside a Korean restaurant. In a way, I feel unsettled by the fact that Christmas is so celebrated here. I suppose in America, I can believe that there are still a large number of people who celebrate Christmas in remembrance of Jesus' birthday. But here, it is completely commercial. 100% commercialized. I know, I'm being cynical. A large part of Christmas is just the love between family and friends, and the joy of gift giving. Why can't I accept that those things are what comprise the Christmas holiday for the Chinese people?
Still, when I was at Carrefour yesterday, they were playing Christmas music loudly over the intercom. "O, Come All Ye Faithful" and "Silent Night" all being sung in Chinese. I wondered, what do these songs mean to them? Are they just beautiful music? Do they realize what Christmas signifies? I asked Sailing and Cat why the Chinese celebrate Christmas and they both just giggled at me. Yes, I suppose I deserve to be laughed at for thinking about this too hard.