I decided I wanted to send everyone an open Christmas card and I wandered about trying to find the perfect image. Yet, as I described in my posts last year, Christmas off the Sled and Christmas Looming, all the decorations are the same, and even though a Chinese teacher told me that Christmas is becoming popular in China—second only to the Spring Festival, it really is a nonevent. I wandered beneath the great December moon this year—such a lost, Jesus holy moon shining on a manger—trying to get my Christmas card money shot, but it was elusive, bashful. I got lots of shots but none that was able to capture its compelling, luminescent, Mona Lisa full moon smile. Instead I wrote a poem The Color of the Moon: The color of the moon is vacuum-packed sunlight an orbedcontemplationmagnet waxed lemon ice fire pockmarked with deep-cratered melancholy the earth’s soul the sun’s ego orbiting madly as lovers do . . . Then I realized it: The perfect shot would be the absence of Christmas. And so, here is Christmas in China, an empty mall photographed in late afternoon on December 23rd, 2013. Contrast this with what the malls in the U.S. would look like on the same date. Indeed, there are some subdued clues that it is Christmas (just for fun count the clues in the photos), but it still has not, as of yet, broken out wildly in China. And yet, as opposed to last year, I did manage to find a cool Santa. Note the electrical cord he is attached to. You can hit a switch and Santa rocks back and forth like the coolest of Jazz cats, wailing out a solo of Jingle Bells. And speaking of that carol, this past weekend I was teaching my students Christmas words, then challenging them to a spelling contest. My students are so enthusiastic and eager to be chosen by me to be the next participant, they are always yelling out, "Teacher me, teacher me!" hoping I will call on them. But this time—and I didn't even teach them this song, they started singing out to the tune of Jingle Bells, "Teacher me, teacher me, teacher me-me-me . . . teacher me, teacher me, teacher me-me-me," and so on. I laughed, amazed at their ingenuity. It was one of those China moments when you realize the organism is taking on a life of its own. Later, a young boy wrote on the whiteboard, carefully spelling it out letter by letter, T U R K E Y, then, turning around, punctuated his spelling as children do by saying the completed word, crowing out proudly: CHICKEN. I am approaching Christmas riding on such moments. Such moments. And so I say to you all, be the colored lights and the star atop everyone's Christmas tree, be the present underneath, the rum in the eggnog, the snow on Christmas morning, the smell of an evergreen wreath, and the soul of it all by thinking of others and sharing what you have. We are all, one-of-a-kind, connected miracles. Happy holidays to you all, and no matter what faith, no matter what you believe in, believe . . . that I believe . . . in you.
4 Comments
12/23/2013 12:19:11 am
Lovely: I hope you continue to love where you are.
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Mary
12/23/2013 01:31:22 am
Merry Christmas Elvis English!! What a thoughtful and heartfelt card. West Farms Mall was busy but pleasant very merry and lots of packages in hand. I see the signs of Christmas in your malls but minus the people. They look so clean I love the ribbon on the escalators. It is a time to believe and think of others and share yourself. Your students enthusiasm shows what a miracle you are to them and that is the real miracle of Christmas. Happy Holidays to you we all miss you and will think of you on Christmas Day!!! Sending love your way!
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I like the women in boots
12/25/2013 05:18:29 pm
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I didn't make it for xmas but I did make it for little xmas when the wise men reached baby Jesus. Do you remember when we were little we could not take down our tree until little xmas. I remember my friends saying "I can't believe your tree is still up" and being embarrassed. Then getting another present on little xmas and my friends changing their minds and all of a sudden they wanted little xmas too. The gift of sharing. We missed the point when we were kids but now that I'm older its a nice tradition to share with my grandson. So have yourself a Merry Little Xmas and know that our prayers and thoughts are with you always wishing you peace throughout the year. P.S. When you speak of your students I can't help but think of mom with her children and know that she is with you smiling. Love ya
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