articles​

China Elevator Stories

Shenzhen: A Night Out at Christmas

I spend Christmas 2012 with drunk co-workers at a karaoke bar in Shenzhen.

24/03/2013

Ruth Silbermayr
Ruth Silbermayr

Author

A Night Out At Christmas
On Christmas Day 2012, I have been with my then-boyfriend for less than two weeks. Since we haven’t made our relationship public, our colleagues don’t know about it.

Christmas 2012 is nothing like Christmas back home. On December 25th, our boss treats me, my boyfriend, and a few other colleagues to dinner at a Yunnanese restaurant in Shenzhen. Since I love Yunnanese food, I appreciate the gesture. My boss and colleagues are all busy drinking strong, bright green liquor. Since I’m not much of a drinker, I don’t join them.

After the three-hour dinner, when most of them are already quite drunk, we head to a karaoke place together. For Chinese people, Christmas doesn’t carry the same meaning it does for Westerners. It’s known as a celebration, but quiet reflection isn’t part of the Chinese way of celebrating.

At the karaoke bar, my boyfriend sings a Chinese song called “Addicted.” His deep voice is perfectly suited for it. The others cheer him on and applaud.
 
Only a few days later do I learn the lyrics. The first lines go like this: “Every single day, I’d like to get dirty with you. Without you, my whole body feels weak (…) I think I’m addicted.” I laugh at the thought that he sang this song on Christmas.

Have you ever celebrated Christmas abroad?

next
previous

Follow me on:

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *