Christmas has come and gone at HNC. And while many of us are away from home, the HNC made it something truly special on its own; a celebration that’s unique, yet warm and memorable. In many ways, Christmas at the Center turned into a reflection of what makes HNC’s distinctive environment so special—where the warmth of good company and mutual cultural appreciation transformed a special day for some into a cherished memory shared by all.

It began to feel like Christmas in China when the Banwei committee (student leadership) organized events to create and display decorations around the Center. Familiar halls received a touch of holiday cheer as Christmas trees sprouted and garlands unfurled. American Christmas classics like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) and Frosty the Snowman (1969) were played in the 活动室 (student lounge), creating a fun opportunity to discuss why these movies were so meaningful to American Christmas culture with Chinese classmates.

Nearby businesses also embraced the Christmas spirit with the sounds of Christmas music echoing within their walls—sometimes with Chinese lyrics and singing replacing the original English vocals. This highlighted how Christmas traditions have been adapted and reimagined in China, maintaining its festive spirit across language barriers.

During the week of Christmas, a rotating group of us gathered in the center kitchen to make Christmas cookies and Hanukkah latkes. This messy but enjoyable effort became an opportunity to share the tradition of holiday cooking with Chinese peers. Four hundred cookies later, we left prepared for Christmas Eve activities with a meaningful new memory to boot.

During these gatherings, I learned of the significance of apples to Christmas in China, which are linked to the holiday message of peace thanks to the phonic similarity of the Chinese word for “apple” (Píngguǒ) and the Chinese translation of “Silent Night” (Píng’ān yè). Suddenly, the apple-themed décor that had begun popping up at local businesses made sense as a tradition unique to Christmas in China. As I ate an apple dessert provided by the Center during the annual Christmas Eve banquet, I was reminded of the blending of global and local traditions that makes Christmas here so distinct.

The banquet featured a wonderful blend of familiar and new Christmas foods, while the Center co-directors wandered around the hall, toasting each table of students individually. This personal touch was followed by the Secret Santa gift exchange among classmates, which became a fun night of karaoke and mahjong as we celebrated together. As livelier festivities cooled, we concluded a truly global celebration of Christmas Eve over homemade glühvein (mulled wine) prepared by a classmate from Germany. As the night in China became late and Merry Christmas texts from awakening friends and family in the United States began to roll in, home didn’t feel so far away after all.

Christmas Day at HNC featured more gift-giving alongside the screening of another American “Christmas classic,” Die Hard (1988). This was followed by a large cohort of students traveling to nearby Shanghai to enjoy the city’s famous German-style Christmas markets for the weekend—which did not disappoint! The themed decorations and holiday goodies from around the world allowed us to embrace another unique, international facet of Chinese Christmas.

Being able to celebrate and share Christmas in China with new friends in a new environment will be an experience that I won’t soon forget. As we enjoyed old traditions and embraced new ones, the people, the environment, and the spirit of cultural exchange made the holiday truly special at HNC.

Edited By: Jay Figueredo