Enter the Dragon - Happy New Year!

The rabbit returns to his palace and out comes the dragon to bring in the new year. I wish all old and new friends happiness, health and good fortune in the coming year.

You would have to be blind not to see it is the year of the dragon, full of vigour, strength and confidence. The Chinese dragon is not like the fiery evil dragon of the west, but is proud powerful and auspicious.



It's a busy time of year for everyone: migrant workers getting train tickets and rushing home for a long break; people shopping to buy gifts for family, friends and connections; storekeepers preparing for one of their peak season sales, with some opening 24hrs over the 3 day holiday. Actually, by working over two weekends, the 3 days stretch to one week off.

Red is definitely the colour of the day. The festive spirit is more evident in the shopping malls and markets. Since Xmas and Chinese New Year come so closely together this year, the same set of decorations can be used. Down with the Xmas signs and up with the Chinese New Year ones.

Chinese lanterns are hung everywhere

Long strings of firecrackers (only decorative)

Toffee apples (haw) for sale

Dancing dragons

Tea is being sold for 15 USD/ pound to up to 1500 USD/pound for the very best.

Add a couple of yellow dragons to change Xmas decor to New year decor!

Xmas decorations are replaced by Chinese knots

New Year couplets are very popular, to be put up in people's homes

Dragons of different size, shape and colour.

Ming dynasty dragon.

See you next year!

Merry Xmas from Beijing and Happy Holidays!

(Courtesy of Four Seasons Courtyard Hotel, near Drum Tower)

It's not actually snowing here, cold and crisp but with lovely blue sunny skies. The ski slopes are open, the carol singers are singing and there are many chances to have Xmas lunches and dinners and drinks. There is some Xmas spirit ( and lots of love) in the air, but mainly in hotels and shopping centres.

Even the rickshaw driver has got the right festive colour for his rickshaw.

It seems Santa changes to riding a horse when he gets to China!

Interesting mix of Chinese and Western styles (Shanghai shikumen)

Smiling waitresses at a restaurant where Santa was serving "Angry Milk Tea"

Chinese knots with the 'fortune' character go well with Xmas tree decorations!

It seems that Tibetan Lama monks also go Xmas shopping.

Santa flying into a restaurant by parachute

Perhaps the Santa saleswoman is feeling a little cold selling ice cream!

On the other hand, this Santa must be feeling so hot cooking barbecue meat！

I guess you can read the Chinese here, offering super value lunches/dinner on Xmas Day  for just over USD2.

Santa was not a Prince with a royal crown.......

Nor did he have a castle............

.........Actually it was all for the Prince Charming - a foreign royal of course - and his Chinese "princesses".

 Lots of goodies are on sale for the kids.......chocolates, Xmas logs, puddings.....

If you want to spoil your only child why not buy him/her a big black Santa for a lucky 588 yuan or just over USD93 ( or about the price of 40 Xmas lunches at Macdonalds!). Expensive? Yes, but it is Xmas after all!

 Chrismas trees and lights were put up on the main shopping street of Qian Men

It's just a stone's throw from Chairman Mao's Mausoleum....I just wonder what he thinks about all this consumerism.

May I take this chance to wish you all a Merry Xmas and all the best for 2012. We will celebrate it quietly here, because of course the real New Year is not till Jan 23rd!