Merry Christmas from Beijing!

This weekend has been filled with many fun and exciting activities as I celebrate the "Holy Birth" here in Beijing. On Friday, the school had a Chinese performance competition, which was fun to watch with some of my classmates. Various students performed songs, dances, and skits. Some of the acts had a Christmas theme, and some presented various aspects of Chinese culture. That night, I ate dinner with some friends, and I was able to share with them about some Christmas traditions in the United States. Then, yesterday, Christmas Eve, I joined a choir and went to a shopping and cultural plaza where we sang Christmas carols for all of the shoppers and passersby.

Last night, I had a relaxing evening talking with my family over the internet via Yahoo and Skype. (Last night there were over 3,000,000 users on Skype here in China, which is an incredible amount compared to the few hundred thousand in the USA.) It is really nice to be able to talk with them and see them via our webcams. The family was having a really good time, and it was fun to see my nephews and niece playing together. They are getting so big, and I can't wait to see them all (for real) when I return at the end of January.

This afternoon, I will go to a Christmas service at one of Beijing's churches. I will leave about 2 hours before the service actually begins and arrive about 1-1.5 hours early in order to get a seat. There will more than likely be a huge crowd there this evening with standing room only; so I am excited to learn of yet another aspect of China's culture.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
May God greatly bless you this holiday season and throughout the coming year!