Merry Christmas

Shengdankuaila! Merry Christmas! Frohe Weinachten! Feliz Navidad!

The sentiment… Whether in Chinese, English, German, or Spanish, means the same thing. It means well wishes to you on the day we celebrate the birth of our Savior. That's the reason for the season. People all over the world decorate their homes, give gifts and eat way too much food. But not everyone knows that special reason for the season. We are not just celebrating a birth… I do that every August 30, October 4, November 21, January 30, and February 2…. Being born, while super special, isn't something that takes a lot of practice and training to accomplish. (No disrespect to all mothers) But the real special event is that the baby born is human and G0d. The purpose of this little intro is to set the focus. The focus of this day is the special baby born to save us all.

Which that being said, I'm going to go on a rant… bear with me.

Things I miss from Christmas in America…. in no particular order. Snow. Bacon wrapped water chestnuts. My wood burner. Mom, Dad, Twig, and Hannah. Gram and all the rest of my family. Snow. Vacation from school. A plate full of christmas cookies, chocolate covered peanuts, and pretzel dip. My Grams…and most of all my mom.

Things I like about a Chinesey Christmas….. No snow. The new friends I've made. The tacky decorations. (and there are a lot of them) The joy of sharing American Christmas traditions with Chinese friends. Food…I'd say Chinese food, but I'm in China. And I love the food here.

I would be lying if I said I didn't wish I was at home. Of course I wish I was with my family. There was a saying I found on the internet that fits the situation, and it goes something like 'everywhere you go takes a piece of your heart, so your home is in multiple places'. I'm sure the actual quote is much more poetic. But the concept applies. A piece of my heart lies in Appleton and Neenah, WI. A piece in New Ulm, MN…Wayne, MI…LaCrosse, WI… Seattle, WA… and those are just the places with people. There are many more places that I've visited that now hold a small piece of my heart too. It has something to do with experience. My Mom and Dad share many of the experiences I have from birth thru age 18; New Ulm, MN has a fair share of experiences too; and now Shaoxing, China holds a chunk too. If I was at home I'd miss this too. Location isn't the important detail - the reason for the season is the real importance. That knowledge makes Christmas wonderful.

To my family and friends in America: I miss you. I love you. In one wish I want to be with you at home, and I want you to be with me in the Orient. Have a Merry Christmas, and I'll see you for Christmas in July. Much love

Until next time.