I know honey, at this point, Shanghai has made it quite difficult for everyone to love her. We are looking at 5 weeks without a peek of sun. I mean come on, how many tears can you cry?

However I have a theory, Shanghai is moody and cries a lot but she never messes up with important dates. A lot of us complains about the summer in the city too, it rains, a lot. But I’ve noticed that when it’s weekend, mostly the sky is high and the air is hot, the sun’s out, fun is found. And starting from Monday, it would rain cats and dogs and the waterworks make everybody blue and wet. Same goes to the holidays and festivals. She knows how to handle herself let’s say?

Just so it proves my theory, two weeks back on Christmas Eve, we had a little sun break from the winter rains and made “back to the street” shoot, and, of course, the Christmas celebrations possible.

I love Christmas, even though it’s not my holiday by origin but I love the holiday spirit and my experience with Christmas Eve made me like it even more. One Christmas Eve back when I was still in university (gosh sounds like forever ago.) I was invited to a Christmas dinner, and I left in such a hurry that I forgot my wallet, of course, I didn’t notice until the taxi driver drop me off, let me remind you that was pre-online payment, pre-uber/didi time, and I think I then own a Motorola Flip phone? Anyway I was super embarrassed and told the driver I forgot my wallet and I have no money on me.  If he can go with me to my friends’ house so that I can pay him. Suprisely he said to me: “it’s okay, Miss, consider a gift to you! Enjoy your dinner! ” I was so touched and I believe it was the holiday spirit. I remembered the night with warm lights and Christmas tree and great food with friends, most importantly that complete stranger’s kindness. I carry that story with me and keep trying to return the good to other people.

I was kind of avoiding this year’s holidays, for an obvious reason. Truth to be told, if it wasn’t my Seoulmate Tara texted me and asked when should she come over for dinner, I would completely forget about tonight’s tradition. But thank god we don’t live in 2009 anymore, half an hour before said dinner time, I finish the table setting with flowers and Italian food both were delivered to my door. Dinner was lovely with my closest ones and we decided to go out to share the joy with others.

You know you make decisions every day, and they all have an impact on your life. But at some point, there will be this one decision, that you make, most probably you didn’t even notice, you just did, spontaneously, would have the strongest impact on you.

I fell asleep at 4 am on this Christmas Eve. I have trouble falling asleep for a while now, but for the first time in forever, I fell asleep feeling happy. After a long long time, something sweet was gifted to me, so sweet it reminded me of the Danish Cookie Kjeldsens(?) that my father’s friends would bring to us every Chinese new year.

There are things happen on certain days that just make you wonder if it’s all written in the stars. I don’t know that for sure, But I know for a fact that, this is another yet best Christmas.

 

Photos: Xiaoyu.