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Published: December 12th 2008
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We'd hoped to get pics of Shanghai by night..
But Amy's broken toe put a hold on that. Take our word for it...ie. this garland is full of lights! Hey all,
Yes, it's official. Along with Xmas coffee blend, lights and garland, the stores are rife with an array of gifts, and we say, bring it on! Why be a grinch or a Scrooge, we ask, when you can be Chevy Chase? Besides, even in an economic downturn, making the annual shopping effort helps hold up one's end in a flagging economy -- and it helps build Xmas spirit! And getting Xmasey in Shanghai, we're rediscovering, is no mean feat!
So along with a charity fund drive for migrant children, to encourage a festive mood we'd started to elbow our way through the stores with the best of them, that is until a little mishap put a hold on that...as you can see, the yang continues to haunt us! Along with battling a flu and cold bug, Amy now gets to enjoy doing so hobbling around the city in a cast -- the result of wacking the door in the dark recently and breaking her toe!! It took an emergency trip through the dark, pre-dawn streets to the local expat's hospital, a shot of painkiller and an expert doctor's quick tug -- and the little toe was back
Bah! Humbug!
But then the thought of spending money never puts Roel in the Xmas spirit... in place...or promises to be after six more weeks in a cast! In any case, it reminded us to count our blessings...right down to our toes!
In any case, it will take more than that to stop us from hoisting a few gluweins, or listening to our Christmas playlist on our ipod of "Christmas Cocktails parts 1 and 2", and of course, Charlie Brown's, Elvis' and Bing's Xmas CD's (there's nothing like hearing "Blue Christmas" to make one homesick) all whilst waiting eagerly for Carly and Craig to join us....bringing lots of yin with them no doubt...to experience Xmas in Shanghai with us.
And if as Charlie Brown you're asking -- can anyone tell me what Christmas in Shanghai is all about? Well, as the festivities near, we're reminded every day of the answer to that question. For example, a recent ad in the Shanghai Daily News which read "gift picks for everyone's purse strings" listed a Vacheron Constantin watch for 298,000 yuan (7 RMB to $1.00 US). Or if one's got their heart set on a Gucci, at only 7,100 RMB it's theirs! Though perhaps even here in China's economic powerhouse the shoppers for such 'buys' are
Look familiar?
The streets of the French concession are awash these days in plate-sized maple leaves. becoming more elusive. In fact the newspapers have been printing daily articles about the annual growth dropping below 8%, and concerns that anything less will mean massive unemployment and social unrest....so before anyone chokes on their turkey wishbone, ask yourself which is a more welcome prospect for 2009 - a prosperous, happy China, or a broke and grouchy one?
Of course China's growth has come at a terrible environmental cost. As other signs of Xmas abound - i.e. the world’s tallest Xmas tree is now back up in Times Square (no, not the Times Square, but a downtown shopping mall) and this being Shanghai, it doesn't look like much except wire and balls -- that is until night time, when every centimeter of its 50 meters lights up electrically. The energy for this tree alone must be staggering, but we can only guess that China’s never ending coal supply is what keeps such electricity demands flowing. In any case Shanghai by night is so breathtaking that one can almost forget about the price paid -- namely trying to breath the grey sludgy air. Hopefully our lungs will forgive and forget too….
But, we digress...indeed, before we start sounding
Along with the ubiqitous palms..
...which can make getting into the Xmas spirit challenging. too Grinch-like, we have to admit that China is nothing if not a country of paradoxes, and a case in point is that even though Xmas is almost upon us, winter hasn’t 'officially' arrived in Shanghai (since five days in a row of temperatures below 10 degree Celsius, apparently, is a requirement) A passing cold front from Beijing and Mongolia last week plunged us into icey temperatures, and along with eliminating the mosquitoes at long last, we discovered that cold weather is de rigeur for getting Xmasey...which is difficult, as we've said, in palm and bamboo festooned Shanghai -- as you can see! So we made our way to Cotton’s - an old French Concession mansion, known for its cosy red walls, white candles, and crackling fireplaces -- and liked it so much we've booked Christmas Eve dinner there for four -- Carly, Craig and us -- right in front of the fire. Let's hope the cold temps return...this week they went back up to a very unseasonal 20 degrees!
If not, this city offers other uniquely Shanghainese Xmas traditions. For Christmas Day, we’re looking forward to our second annual turkey-to-go from “New Heights”, remembering from last year how
An unusual sight...
...a deserted Shanghai street. Maybe everyone's in the mall... much we enjoyed four styles of turkey with Chris, complete with roast potatoes, veggies, gravy and stuffing. Afterwards we even had Starbuck’s mince tarts, by so far nary a spicy crumb has made an appearance on the chain’s glass shelves. But we'll keep looking...recently Marks and Spencer's opened up its first store in China, so maybe the ghastly prospect of a Christmas without mince tarts or plum pudding will be staved off...
Or we can pick up some stollen from the German restaurant, “Paulaners”, which in our new neighbourhood houses its actual brewery inside a three-storey restaurant bedecked with wreathes and lights and filled with the sounds of Xmas carols. Last week the entire grounds - once the gardens of another French Concession mansion - were filled with huts resembling a miniature Xmas village, selling gluwein -- a hot and spicey red wine -- gingerbread, cards, wrapping and prezzies. Even though prices were too exorbitant for us expat want-a-be's (as one colleague puts it), we could still feel almost transported back to a German village festival, which certainly helped boost seasonal spirits - and the spicy aromas of gluwein and ginger tea in the frosty air didn’t hurt either!
Of course an advertisement...
...for a development of orignal style skikkumen houses is equally deserted. Who needs reality? There are some aspects of life over here that will be missed...but at this time of year what we really miss is a Canadian down-home Xmas with snow, pine trees, fresh air...and you all!!
So as we await Carly and Craig’s arrival and celebrating Christmas Shanghai-style we wish you all a very Merry Xmas….and if it snows, send some over our way, okay?
Seasons greetings
Amy & Roel
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Chris V
non-member comment
The toe!
Ewwww.. that toe looked gross! You should be careful to keep up your christmas spirit Mom because that toe might be one of the ghosts that haunts you later on.