Merry Christmas

One of our favorite seasonal activities is watching the annual First Presidency Christmas Devotional and the accompanying Christmas music by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. If you have not see this, it is well worth taking an hour to watch it. We are grateful we were able to watch it over the internet.

Christmas is everywhere in China. All the stores are decorated and there is music everywhere. In fact, the other day in class I thought I heard "Jingle Bell" outside. I opened our classroom window and sure enough, the school PA system was pumping Christmas music all over the campus. While not quite as broadly as in America, the malls and stores are pretty much playing the music.

Santa in the student cafeteria

This first Santa display dominates the entrance to the student cafeteria  It has apparently been up 365 days a year for several years. And of course lots of Christmas music is often played in the cafeteria. But I don't think there is much Christian belief in the season. We have a few students who are Muslim. We don't have any Christians in our classes. Catholicism and Protestantism are legal in China, but I am unaware of an evident presence.

This second Santa is typical of a Target or department store, or mall Santa. Lots of them around. There is apparently some gift giving that goes on in the spirit of the season. Generally though, our students tell us that the big "Spring Festival" in early February is the Chinese equivalent of Christmas when families get together and lots of gift giving goes on.

The students are very interested in the cultural, family, traditions, and religious history of the season. In Ann's pronunciation and oral classes she has her kids enjoying many seasonal songs and activities as the content for  their oral work. I am actually hoping to get a clip of them singing the 12 Days of Christmas to add to our family compilation.

Christmas in China is a vital economic holiday in America that drives billions of dollars of purchases from China keeping their economic engine running. So most definitely a Merry Christmas from and on behalf of China! As time goes by, I think we will see more and more of the real meaning of Christmas permeate the hearts and souls of the Chinese. We miss you all and hope that you are able to enjoy the blessed spirit of the joyous seasons with your families.