By TRICIA CARSWELL

　　There is a delicious irony of buying Christmas decorations in the Western world with the tag, "Made in China," and then being present for the holiday in the land where they're manufactured. They seemed oddly out of place on the store shelves in Beijing, but not in my apartment. Chinese New Year is celebrated and recognised globally by everyone, including me. But, a Chinese Christmas - well, that was something else to be reckoned with.

　　One of the most surprising decorations I saw and purchased is a musical snow globe of a nativity scene peopled with figures of Asian skin colour. Incongruous to me at first glance, it actually made sense when I considered the geographical location of Bethlehem. Furthermore, the three kings/wise men came from the Orient with their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.The birth of Jesus is fundamental to the Christmas spirit, but there's no way of knowing just how much emphasis the Chinese who practice Christianity actually place on the spiritual origins of the humble birth of Christ. With a dearth of houses of worship, I couldn't tell if Advent was known, except perhaps to those who choose to practice Catholicism in St. Joseph's Cathedral on Wangfujing, (dating from 1655, Luigi Buglio; rebuilt 1904) or a half dozen other churches of similar or Protestant faith. The buildings represent some of the few tangible manifestations of the work of European missionaries who left behind religious choices.

　　The most wonderful time was the evening we listened to an amateur choir. (as if one could ever say that anything entertaining in China would be less than professional) Staged on a hotel stairway, the singers were gowned in a beautiful red, as their voices rang out with familiar Christmas music and carols, enhanced by a distinctive Chinese accent. We hooked elbows, smiled smugly and swayed silently in a mystical glow. Adding to the memory were several rhythmic themes that we'd heard often before in outdoor parks where ballroom dancers waltz year-round to some of our seasonal music, especially Auld Lang Sine, which we usually hear only on December 31st, our New Year's Eve. There is nothing more special than experiencing the familiar in a different environment.

　　The architecture and interior design of hotel lobbies has always been fascinating to me, especially those which feature rockery, plants and waterfalls. On the more sophisticated side, the Kempinski stood alone for its contemporary edginess. When we gussied up for the December holiday, it became enchanting. What happened with the lights and three storey Christmas tree was enough to make any expat teary-eyed. The most memorable lobby in 2002 was at the Hilton. It featured a display of miniature Santa Claus dolls dressed to represent many different countries. There was a small, wintry cabin featuring the red-nosed deer, Rudolph. In a downtown upscale hotel, the juxtaposition of a red Chinese lantern and Merry Christmas wreaths added a spot of humour to one shopping day. Far from gaudy, the lobbies were understated and tastefully decorated.

　　Always looking for an opportunity to celebrate, the Chinese seem to have embraced "our" festival as a time for family visits, gift giving, and serving up a big banquet. It will take decades to introduce fowl with all the trimmings at a Chinese meal. It's likely that roast turkey is well known as the main entree, but goose and duck are often dished up, along with various vegetables and traditional desserts that are tastier and sweeter than Mooncakes. Whilst the Chinese may prefer to preserve red envelopes to hold monetary gifts at their New Year (for 2004, the Year of the Monkey), Christmas is a fine time to indulge the children, and what kids wouldn't be happy to celebrate a Western tradition if it means presents, and perhaps some KFC and coke? I noticed that some sticky treats appeared at markets and on the streets. I was especially fond of the skewered candied fruit on sticks, but my favourite was a solid hunk of crispy, puffed rice, flavoured with nuts and fruit, held together with a caramel toffee mixture, and cut with a machete-like cleaver from a block the size of the bicycle vendor's wagon. If it had had a chocolate covering, it would have been decadent, as well as finger-licking good.

　　Santa Claus, the chubby, bearded icon of joviality and bearer of a brimming sack of wrapped packages, appeared in some of the most unlikely places as December 25th approached. He showed up at an adult office party, where a Chinese auction was used to distribute the brightly theme-wrapped and beribboned bags and boxes. As each person selected a gift, there was a choice between an unopened present or one already opened. It was amusing to see what the multi-cultural crowd thought would be the best to keep.

　　It was our custom to go to the theatre for a stage play over the Christmas holidays. We had tickets at the Great Hall of the People for a new play from Paris, Notre Dame de Paris, spoken in French, with Chinese sub-titles. Until that evening, there was one thing missing to summon up a perfect Noel. When we emerged into the starry night, the empty Tiananmen Square was blanketed with a layer of fallen snow, twinkling in the lights, and falling flakes drifted gently in a sparkling mist. With the entrance gates, Mao and Imperial Palace as a backdrop, the scene was pure magic. The setting for our Beijing Christmas was complete.

　　Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

　　Tricia