Oh Christmas Tree

By the updates on this blog you’d think we haven’t been doing much. But we have. I’m just lazy and have lost the inspiration to write or post pictures regularly.
We have been trying to get into the Christmas spirit – as much as you can when you live in a country that doesn’t celebrate Christmas and doesn’t really get Christmas in any of its forms that Westerners celebrate (they play carols in supermarkets in June and leave tinsel – ugh! – up all year round). But I have to say, this being our third winter here, they are getting better. We’re on the hunt for Santa this weekend (and not one that is a 16 year old, skinny Chinese boy in an oversized Santa suit), and have noticed a few places are putting up decent decorations. By decent, I mean more than a spindly fake tree that someone has stood back and thrown tinsel at. Wish us luck.

Our tree went up as soon as December rolled around. A little early perhaps, but we needed extra light in the living room anyway, given that it gets dark so early. All the Christmas shopping is done, presents have been sent to cousins in Australia and most of the Christmas food has been bought. No turkey for us this year – they only come frozen and big enough to feed 14 people, which means way too big for our tiny oven. So we’ve got pork and perhaps chicken instead.
Geoff has finished work for the year, and Arlo has finished Little Dragons for the year as well (obviously). Now we just need to find some wrapping paper for all the presents (we’re headed to IKEA on Monday, but have been stamping butchers paper as a backup in case they’re all sold out there), and we’re all set for a cozy, cold Christmas.

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