my very "china" christmas

merry Christmas from China, friends! :)

This was my first Christmas away from home.

And my first Christmas in China.

And the only word I can really think to adequately describe it is….well….

Ghetto.

To be honest, I don’t know what I mean by that …except that it has been far from the traditional and “perfect” Christmas. It has been utterly and ridiciously simple….and at times, a little “ghetto.”

Take our Christmas tree for example.

our tree - pre-tumble

Last spring, my roommates and I received a Christmas tree from a friend who was moving back to the states. A few weeks before Christmas, we broke it out, put on some Christmas music, and prepared all of the decorations.

And then we discovered that it had a slight deformity. One of the legs on the base was a little broken….which caused the whole tree to lean rather precariously. :S

Being the industrious women that we are, my roommates and I attempted to tie/tape the tree stand back together. And we proved to be fairly successful….Until it fell down the next morning and broke a few of our ornaments. (It is currently leaning against a chair – we didn’t think it was worth the risk of trying to fix it again).

our tree - post tumble

Unfortunately, the case of the leaning Christmas tree was not an isolated occurrence.

I have two Christmas trees in my classroom….and both of them have one broken leg on the base of the tree. …which causes both of the whole trees to lean and totter rather precariously.

It wasn’t until I was laughing and unsuccessfully attempting to tape together the base of my third tree (after it had fallen down during the middle of class) that I realized that perhaps there’s some lesson that He could be teaching me through this….besides the fact that China makes really poor-quality Christmas tree bases.

Like maybe that Christmas isn’t all about having the perfect tree or decorations….

Maybe they’re some value in having a little more “ghetto” Christmas.

I wish I could say that our Christmas trees were the only “ghetto” part of our China Christmas, but….not quite.

We have no candy canes. No perfect porcelain nativity. (In fact, the only nativity we have is one I made before class one morning out of a discarded cardboard box. :) No gingerbread houses (or cookies for that matter). Sparse Christmas lights. …and the ones we have (and corresponding ornaments) are now half broken (thanks to our tree’s little tumble). And by choice, all our gifts are silly ones for less than 20 RMB (around $4).

And yet, despite the simplicity and utter “ghetto-ness” of our Christmas, this season has been so full of so many more meaningful things….

No, we don’t have candy canes…but we’ve had opportunities to visit an orphanage and play with sweet kiddos. 

We don't have all the traditional Christmas programs (or movies for that matter), but we’ve been blessed with opportunities to proclaim Chr*st at two different English corners and our school’s Christmas play.

And we may not have a perfect nativity, but through borrowing my rather ghetto-looking cardboard one, four teachers have been able to share the story of the first Christmas with their classes.

All that to say, I’m learning this Christmas that sometimes this season is not all about being flashy or showy.

Sometimes its really humble and at times, a little “ghetto.”

But that doesn’t mean that Jesus isn’t in it.

Its just struck me this year how simple the very first Christmas must have appeared to the outside world…..A young virgin girl giving birth to our Savior in a humble Bethlehem stable.

Yes, the first Christmas must have appeared rather humble and downright simple….and maybe a little “ghetto.”

But He was in it.

He was placed in the arms of a regular girl named Mary.

He was in the wooden manger.

He was in the stable in which shepherds and gentiles worshipped Him. 

He was in the first Christmas.

And as “ghetto” and humble as our China Christmas was, I think He was in it, too. :)

Our Monday night gathering's Christmas celebration :)

we improvised for "traditional candles"....votive candles glued to notecards work just fine!

my cardboard box nativity ....as simple as this was, I must confess: my kiddos loved it. And I just loved how excited they got about Joseph, Mary, and Baby Jesus! :)

some ladies from our Monday night's Christmas party - looove them!

this little guy captured my heart...when I entered the orphanage, he ran right up to me with his arms extended, just waiting and willing for me to pick him up....oh for such a heart of expectation towards our Heavenly Father!

my roommates and I hosted a brunch on Christmas morning for some of our fellow teachers...such a blessed time!

and if you think i'm exaggerating on the whole "ghetto christmas" thing - just look at this santa claus....

but i guess santa does need to be in multiple places on Christmas eve...haha

merry christmas from our very humble home to yours!

hope you all had a lovely Christmas celebrating the birth of our Savior, friends! :) so thankful for you!