Merry Christmas

Christmas isn't celebrated too much here in Taiwan, but it is slowly becoming a bigger holiday, especially with the younger generation of Taiwanese kids. Earlier in the week I went out and bought a tiny Christmas tree, a wreath and two mini-stockings. I can't help myself from having some Christmas decorations set up in our apartment.

On Christmas Eve we ended up going out to Outback Steakhouse and eating steak and potatoes. Not a traditional Christmas meal, but very good and filling none the less. On the walk home a group of around 20 college aged kids ran up to us dressed up in Christmas outfits and were singing "Silent Night". I think they were really happy to see a "white foreigner" to grant an authentic "Merry Christmas" wish. They even handed me a small candy snowman sucker, very nice.

We came back to the apartment, put on A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack and opened our presents. Some stuffed animals for Charlene and some Chinese text books for me. Pretty low key, nothing too crazy. Being away from everyone in the USA really does show that Christmas is more about family and friends than anything else.

Jim