Imogen Jan 2015
在北京过圣诞节
当中国朋友对我提出“你要怎么过春节？”这个问题，我回答他们说：在中国做个没有家可归的外国人，过一个注重家庭的节日其实很难。不过，我已经体验过这种困难，那就是去年12月25日的时候。
圣诞节快要到了，好多同学已经正在坐回国的飞机上呢。留在中国的同学呢，有其他计划。对我们其中大部分同学来说，这一次是第一次在外地过圣诞节。随着圣诞节的来临，中国肯定缺乏英国的疯狂。在大量的公共场所、商店、酒吧、都安装了圣诞节的装饰，可是节日气氛还不如在国内的。给我带来最真正的家庭般感觉是去听我室友在胡同里唱圣诞颂歌。
毫无疑问，在北京过一个传统的圣诞节是绝对不肯能的，所以我们就决定趁这个放纵自我的机会。因此，我们在北京瑞吉的圣诞节自助餐预订桌子。附近的一家超市突然开始卖圣诞树，所以我们好容易才把一棵拿回家，让彩色小灯光照着客厅，还装饰了金属丝。说实话，都看起来挺滑稽可笑的。但是，圣诞节那天亮了，我们认真的送礼物和遥远的家人给我们寄来的东西。
参加大自助餐是一种果粉。服务员总是呼之即来，手里拿着凉香槟酒。在大堂里摆着一场盛宴。摆着传统的圣诞节烤火鸡、日本的寿司、大姜饼屋、各种奶酪、水果、面包类的、蛋糕、冰淇淋、沙拉、烤烧、甚至还有北京烤鸭。这场盛宴是对精神和肚子的双重挑战。我们慢慢地吃到喝到麻木了。
不送礼物就不能算是圣诞节，我们送的小惊喜没让人失望，惊喜包括一件豹纹连体衣和两个生洋葱。后来，我们突然决定玩保龄球去，在外国过圣诞节，什么比保龄球好主意？保龄球馆的服务员却不太欢迎我们协调性较差的一群人。
窝在床上跟准备圣诞节大餐的家人Skype那天就结束了。家里的距离感很强，可是看到亲戚在我眼前（即使是通过电脑）办哪些很熟的顺序，却让家里好像没有那么远似的。
Imogen – Jan15
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
When my Chinese friends ask me how I will celebrate New Year, I tell them that it is difficult to celebrate a family-orientated festival when you are a foreigner without any family to return to in China. However, I found myself in not too dissimilar a predicament when it came to the 25th of December last year.
Christmas was almost upon us, and many classmates were already on flights destined for home. The few of us remaining in China, however, had to make other plans. For most of us, it was the first time ever to spend this time away from family. The run up to Christmas here was a far cry from what can almost be described as madness back in the UK. In most public places, shops and bars sprung up festive decorations and installations- but the festive spirit and present-buying-fervour was still left to be desired. The closest I felt to home was listening to my room-mate sing carols in the hutongs.
Seeing as a traditional Christmas was seeming well out of the question, we decided the occasion best warranted a spell of self indulgence. Hence we booked a table at one of Beijing’s best Christmas day buffets at the St Regis hotel. The local supermarket suddenly appeared to be selling Christmas trees, so we trekked one home and set the apartment a-twinkling with fairy lights and tinsel. It all seemed rather comic and brash. Still, when the day itself dawned we earnestly swapped stockings, gifts, and parcels sent by family from afar.
The buffet itself was an exercise in excess. Waiters and waitresses waited on our beck and call with bottles of chilled champagne; in the main hall was an impressive array of everything from traditional Christmas roast, including a whole turkey, to more fusion areas of sushi. A giant gingerbread house took place of honour over looking subsidiary spreads of cheese, fruits, breads, cakes, ice cream, salads, grilled delights and even Peking duck. It was not only a challenge for the stomach, but a metal test too, as we gradually fell deeper and deeper into a food stupor.
It wouldn’t be a Christmas meal without an exchange of silly gifts of some sort- and seeing as we lacked crackers we fell back on secret santa, which did not fail to disappoint with people unwrapping such surprises as a leopard print leotard and two whole raw onions (don’t ask why). Afterwards, what better activity to do on Christmas day in a foreign city than go bowling? It’s safe to say the bowling staff did not seem to be amused by a rather raucous group of “old whiteys” (laowai) turning up with seemingly no coordination or aim left in them whatsoever.
The day came to a close tucked up in bed on Skype to my family preparing Christmas dinner. Home felt a world away, and yet seeing the all too familiar processes, even over web-cam, bought it a little closer.