Another Chinese Christmas, but a first as an “Auntie”另一种中国的圣诞节，作为一个“阿姨”开始

This new year will be a big year for me.  I’ll be turning 21 shortly, graduating from Harvard in May, and entering the working world on Wall Street come July.

While I definitely look forward to this new and exciting chapter in my life, this year I also want to look back on my last Christmas holiday time with family as a college student.

Reflecting on the 2012 holiday celebration with my family has somehow sent my memory on a rapid rewind to my first winter break as a freshman in college – I didn’t spend Christmas in America; I went to China in the winter for the very first time.

Beijing had seen its greatest snowstorm in 40 years that winter, and it was 16 below zero (Celsius) as we walked through the freezing cold streets across the highway from the Forbidden City.  The city itself was magical — I had never seen it other than under a sweltering summer sun before — the classically arched roofs were draped in fluffy white snow, sitting quietly amidst the bustle of Beijing traffic under a slate grey sky.  I purchased two hats, in addition to my jacket hood, in an attempt to keep warm.

Throughout the streets of Beijing, we saw the occasional Christmas tree. As we entered a mall for some much-needed hot pot (the most delicious hot pot I had ever tasted — mostly because of its defrosting effect), we were greeted by prancing Santas across the walls, Christmas trees, beautiful ornaments, and glittering holiday greetings.  Couples linked arms as they strolled through the mall, discussing what new clothes and gadgets they wanted and whether they should grab a quick bite at the Yoshinora or sit down for a hot bowl of ramen at Aimen.  Christmas in China was undoubtedly commercial — and rather couply — a time when couples could stroll through malls together, enjoying the romantic holiday decorations, and buy each other Estee Lauder make-up and Polo shirts.

Like many families with Christian roots, we tend to celebrate Christmas in the manner that Chinese in China celebrate Christmas, though less couply and more family-oriented.  This year when I got home I was amazed to find that my parents had put up the Christmas tree and stockings of their own free will (usually they let me enjoy leading that effort).  Our Christmas celebrations usually involve family parties in which either family friends come over for a gathering or we go over to a friend’s house. Parents table, kids table, cards, movies, you know the drill — always involving copious amounts of the best Chinese food the parents (and certain kids) can cook up.

We had one of these parties last week, and I thoroughly enjoyed the nostalgic nature of it.  It was nostalgic because I realized, as I was called Auntie (阿姨) for the first time in my life by my six-year-old neighbor (she quickly switched to 姐姐, or big sister, later on to my relief), that I no longer really belonged at the kids’ table.  I found myself sitting at the kids table with my six-year-old neighbor and I realized these days were numbered.

How many more winter breaks would I have to come home and spend Christmas with my parents and their friends?  How many more Christmases will we spend together, separated at the kids and parents tables, the parents drinking their wine, playing  cards, snacking on melon seeds, and gossiping, the kids playing video games, hide and seek and watching movies together?  I don’t know if I’ll ever have the privilege of returning to this experience, but I’ll always remember what these “Chinese Christmas parties” have meant to me — a reflection of the beauty of family life and the love and support of friends with whom we’ve grown up.这新的一年对我来说将是重要的一年。我不久将21岁，5月从哈佛大学毕业，7月份将进入华尔街，开始工作。

虽然我确实期待这个在我的生命中崭新的和令人兴奋的篇章，不过今年我也想回顾我去年圣诞节假期时作为一个大学生和家人在一起的快乐时光。

想到2012年与我的家人的节日庆贺时，不知怎么的，我的记忆迅速回到我作为一个大学新生的第一个寒假，那时我没有在美国过圣诞节，我在冬天第一次去了中国。

那年冬天北京正好赶上40年一遇的最大暴风雪，当我们从紫禁城穿过公路走在只有零下16度(摄氏) 的寒冷街道上。这个城市真是不可思议，我之前从未见过还有比它更酷热的夏天阳光——此时古典拱形屋顶覆盖着蓬松的白雪，在瓦灰色的天空下矗立在熙熙攘攘的北京城市交通中。除了我的夹克兜帽外，为了保持温暖，我还买了两顶帽子。

穿过北京的街道，偶尔我们能够看到圣诞树。当我们进入了一个购物中心，去吃非常必须的火锅时(是我品尝过的最美味的火锅——主要是因为它驱寒的效果)，等待我们的是站在墙边的欢快的圣诞老人，以及圣诞树、美丽的装饰品，和闪闪发光的节日问候。情侣们手挽手漫步穿过广场，讨论着他们想要哪些新衣服和小配件和他们是否应该在吉野家吃些快餐或在Aimen坐下来吃碗热的拉面。圣诞节在中国无疑是商业化的，相当的情侣化——此时情侣们能在一起漫步商场，享受浪漫的节日装饰，给对方买雅诗兰黛化妆品和Polo衫。

像许多有基督教渊源的家庭，我们也倾向于像中国人在中国庆祝圣诞节的方式，虽然不那么情侣化而是更多以家庭为核心。今年到家的时候，我惊讶地发现，我的父母按他们自己的意志来搭建圣诞树和长袜 (通常他们是让我，按我的意志来进行的)。我们的圣诞庆祝活动通常包括家庭聚会，每个家庭的朋友都过来聚会或我们去一个朋友家。大人们一桌，孩子们一桌，卡片，电影，你知道这种场面——总是包括父母们(和一些孩子)烹制的大量丰富的最好的中餐。

上周我们又开了个像这样的聚会，我非常享受其中的思乡之情。这是怀旧的，因为我意识到，当我在生命中第一次被我六岁的小邻居叫阿姨时(她很快改口叫姐姐,或大姐姐,为了安慰我)，我不再属于孩子们的一桌了。我发现自己能够和我六岁的邻居坐在孩子们一桌，就意识到这样的日子已经屈指可数了。

不知道有多少个寒假我将必须回家和我的父母以及他们的朋友过圣诞节？有多少个我们将一起度过的圣诞节，孩子和父母分开而坐，父母喝着酒，打牌、吃瓜子，闲聊，孩子们玩电子游戏，捉迷藏，一起看电影呢？我不知道是否我还将有幸能够回到这个体验中，但我会永远记住这些“中国式圣诞聚会”对我的意义——它反映出家庭生活的美好以及朋友们的爱和支持，这些将一直伴随着我们的成长。