After about a week in bustling Beijing, we were glad to get to a smaller city (Xi'an is only the size of the Chicago Metropolitan Area. How tiny.) and spend a day visiting one of the best history museums in the country and wandering around the Muslim district. But when darkness fell on Christmas eve, the city transformed. People took to the streets in costume: glittering masks, light up santa hats, devil horns, Scream masks, witch hats, and blonde wigs. I don't know what people in Xi'an do for Halloween, but I'm pretty sure they'll be able to recycle their Christmas outfits when the time comes.
Everywhere we went, vendors with car-sized bunches of balloons hawked their wares. A skinny Asian man in a santa suit took pictures with kids as people of all ages swirled into an informal parade. It was hard to find seats at restaurants because, seemingly, no one wanted to stay home.
We joined in the party for a little while but eventually retired to our quieter Christmas Eve tradition: holiday bedtime stories. It may have been bedtime, but when we got to the last line of "The Night Before Christmas," we were the only ones settling down for a long winter's nap. In our hostel's basement bar, the party raged on most of the night.
It wasn't a very traditional Western Christmas. Instead of spending a sleepless night straining to hear the bells of Santa's sleigh, we were trying to drown out dance music. Instead of rushing to open our stockings on Christmas morning, we were rushing to get to the Terra Cotta Warriors before the crowds. But I was having a good time with the people I love, and that is the only ingredient that Christmas can't do without. Besides, didn't I just say that my family lived with the circus? We'd better be used to this by now.
Merry Christmas, every one! Hope your day was filled with family and friends and your night was quieter than ours, or your walls thicker.
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