Christine Gilbert

    WITH Christmas approaching, it’s time to plan where to go, what to do, and whom to spend the holiday season with. But what can a poor displaced expat do so far from home? Fear not, the following guide will give those still undecided a plethora of options from the more traditional, to the alternative, and of course, the more frugal ways of having a merry little Christmas in Shenzhen.

    Firstly, making your home into a winter wonderland for Christmas isn’t hard. IKEA, a short bus or taxi ride away from the Window of the World Metro Station, has Christmas trees, lights, wreaths, and even a mulled wine mixture for sale. From ornaments to scented candles, IKEA’s Christmas selection is one of the most comprehensive in Shenzhen. Alternatively, JUSCO sells trees anywhere from 32-298 yuan (US$5-48). The supermarket also sells live poinsettias for 29 yuan, in addition to multiple kinds of tinsel and gingerbread houses.

    If you live in a small apartment, remember that lights make everything more magical and a wreath along with a few well-placed Christmas cards can lighten up even the dreariest studio apartment. Giant paper chains can be a wonderful way of making a workplace seem more cheerful. Have everyone write something positive on one of the strips before gluing it to the rest of the chain.

    Workmates or classmates can be great company at Christmas if you’re away from your family. Chinese co-workers or classmates will most likely be very accepting and even thrilled if given the opportunity to spend Christmas with someone from a culture that traditionally celebrates it. You can have a Christmas card making party in your home or invite them to Christmas dinner. Include a few carols and a white elephant gift exchange, and slowly, Christmas in China will start to feel a little more like home.

    Once the Christmas dinner guest list is set, decide early on where to eat, as reservations might need to be made early. The Kitchen Futian has repeatedly proven itself to be a fine place to have a holiday meal due to the efforts of its chef, Justus. This year’s Christmas Eve dinner will consist of warm spiced wine, baked ham with honey and grain mustard glaze, potato gratin, and dessert in addition to other sides. Prices are fairly steep at 288 yuan per person, but worth every penny.

    Also, on Christmas Eve, Gaucho’s Garden Grill in Shekou will host a Brazilian buffet complete with prize draws for 188 yuan and nearby Bierhaus can prepare a Christmas meal anytime from now until Dec. 26 for its patrons.

    For those who are on a lower budget, but don’t want to cook, McCrawley’s Irish Pub has a set meal of a starter, main course, and dessert for 125 yuan. Tequila Coyote Cantina Mexican restaurant does a slightly less traditional buffet with empanadas, fajitas, turkey, and Mexican coffee for just 130 yuan, while the George and Dragon British Pub offers a midrange Christmas Day buffet option for 158 yuan.

    However, part of the joy of Christmas should come from connecting with the people around you, and there is no better way of bringing people together than the making, or attempted making of a Christmas meal. In the search for authentic Christmas ham, The Butcher Shop in Shekou is an excellent place to start your quest. With four different types of ham to choose from, ranging in price from 100 to 200 yuan, you can opt to go the more traditional route of a home-cooked meal.

    Ingredients for the sides can be picked up at Charlie’s USA & CO., also in Shekou. Other stores with multiple branch locations such as JUSCO, P’s International, and Carrefour, might be easier to reach depending on your location in the city, but the selection can be somewhat limited.

    If you don’t want to brave the unpredictable Shenzhen weather, give Nogogo.com a try. Delivery is free for some areas but costs 70-110 yuan for others.

    Finally, church services are the most important thing about Christmas for a lot of people. Both the Meilin Christian Church in Meilin and the Shekou Fellowship near Sea World will hold English-speaking Christmas services on the nights of Dec. 23 and 24, respectively. If you want to hear music, a concert of Oscar film scores performed by the Beijing Wind Orchestra will take place at Shenzhen Concert Hall on Christmas Eve. Interesting though less traditional alternatives include the national street dancing performance at OCT Bay on Dec. 24 and the First Shenzhen Independent Animation Biennale in OCT-LOFT starting Dec. 22.