SiempreTuna
Android Expert
I'm excited for Christmas, should be getting a nexus 10 and a nexus 5
What christmas is all about: getting stuff
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What christmas is all about: getting stuff
What christmas is all about: getting stuff
Kids - presents!
Adults - time off from work, and hanging out with the family.
Kids - presents!
Adults - time off from work, and hanging out with the family.
Didn't there used to be some religious significance to Christmas? Or am I thinking of the NFL playoffs .... Yeah, a lot more praying going on there, anyway.
I get more people asking me about Thanksgiving than Christmas. I can tell them of course, but it's only what I learned from Wikipedia...LOL.
Thatdad
Android Expert
What holidays do they celebrate in China?
The two main holidays are Spring Festival(Chinese New Year) and the Mid-Autumn Festival. Spring Festival is basically when China closes for business and most everyone goes home to be with their families.
There's also National Day 1st October(founding of the PRC), QingMing(Tomb Sweeping Festival), Dragon Boat Festival, etc, that are public holidays as well, usually one or two days. Christmas is not a public holiday here, except for Hong Kong and Macao. Many stores and malls do put up Christmas type decorations though, Santa Claus and stuff, around December time. But then they leave them up at least until Spring Festival.
It's mostly students that ask me about Thanksgiving though, because I think they're consuming a lot of American culture. I'm British myself, so basically what I know about it does come from Wikipedia, forums, or what I've seen on TV or movies. I've actually done a short lesson about the Pilgrims, the Mayflower, everyone goes home, turkey, pumpkin pie, Black Friday, Cyber Monday etc.
Obviously Thanksgiving is not a holiday in China, although I suppose Mid-Autumn Festival is a thanksgiving because it's about giving thanks for the harvest.
Thatdad
Android Expert
The two main holidays are Spring Festival(Chinese New Year) and the Mid-Autumn Festival. Spring Festival is basically when China closes for business and most everyone goes home to be with their families.
Christmas is not a public holiday here, except for Hong Kong and Macao. Many stores and malls do put up Christmas type decorations though, Santa Claus and stuff, around December time. But then they leave them up at least until Spring Festival.
It's mostly students that ask me about Thanksgiving though, because I think they're consuming a lot of American culture. I'm British myself, so basically what I know about it does come from Wikipedia, forums, or what I've seen on TV or movies. I've actually done a short lesson about the Pilgrims, the Mayflower, everyone goes home, turkey, pumpkin pie, Black Friday, Cyber Monday etc.
You hit the nail on the head, it's pretty much being thankful for your harvest (money, health, family etc)
Thatdad
Android Expert
The two main holidays are Spring Festival(Chinese New Year) and the Mid-Autumn Festival. Spring Festival is basically when China closes for business and most everyone goes home to be with their families.
Christmas is not a public holiday here, except for Hong Kong and Macao. Many stores and malls do put up Christmas type decorations though, Santa Claus and stuff, around December time. But then they leave them up at least until Spring Festival.
It's mostly students that ask me about Thanksgiving though, because I think they're consuming a lot of American culture. I'm British myself, so basically what I know about it does come from Wikipedia, forums, or what I've seen on TV or movies. I've actually done a short lesson about the Pilgrims, the Mayflower, everyone goes home, turkey, pumpkin pie, Black Friday, Cyber Monday etc.
Mike, I'm curious to know, how does the younger Chinese generation view Americans and American ideology?
I know that they consume a lot of American popular culture, like sports especially NBA, TV, movies, music, celebs, they know about Thanksgiving, and they are under the impression that America and Americans are rich. As for say American politics or something like The Constitution, then not so much. Except that they know who The President is and might of heard of Democrats and Republicans, but that's probably pretty much is.
I suppose that's all relative. Our next door neighbors are Chinese and live in a house like this. It's considered middle class. As a matter of fact, Mrs. Luna considers us "lower middle class" because we don't drive Mercedes, BMW's or Audi's like the rest of the block.
I suppose that's all relative. Our next door neighbors are Chinese and live in a house like this. It's considered middle class. As a matter of fact, Mrs. Luna considers us "lower middle class" because we don't drive Mercedes, BMW's or Audi's like the rest of the block.
I know that many Chinese love German cars. Often the dream of many students, is to own a BMW one day. Think some of it might come from the idea that Americans tip generously, while Chinese never tip. One thing I do know, never show a Beijing or Shanghai taxi driver you got US dollars, might get charged ten or twenty times the regular metered fare. In fact I've sometimes being asked, do I have US dollars when paying for things. And I answer in reasonable Mandarin, that I do not and I'm not American.
I suppose that's all relative. Our next door neighbors are Chinese and live in a house like this. It's considered middle class. As a matter of fact, Mrs. Luna considers us "lower middle class" because we don't drive Mercedes, BMW's or Audi's like the rest of the block.
I know that many Chinese love German cars. Often the dream of many students is to own a BMW one day. We get American branded cars here, like Chevrolet and Buick, but those are not considered anything really special I don't think.
Think some of it might come from the idea that Americans tip generously, while Chinese never tip. One thing I do know, never show a Beijing or Shanghai taxi driver you got US dollars, might get charged ten or twenty times the regular metered fare. In fact I've sometimes being asked, do I have US dollars when paying for things. And I answer in reasonable Mandarin, that I do not and I'm not American.
This is in Beijing usually, not Xilinhot as most people know me here now. It's not difficult there's only two foreigners here, in a city of 200,000.
I've often been criticized for tipping too much. I will, however, leave little or no tip for bad service. I mean, isn't that the point?
As for foreigners getting ripped off by cab drivers ... I thought *we* invented that.
Really, on our last trip to Austria, in Vienna where all the cabs are Mercedes, the driver who picked us up at the Bahnhof deliberately started down the highway in the wrong direction, my mother-in-law lit into him in her folksy Slavish German dialect and the guy turned three shades of embarrassed (and turned the cab around and reset the meter.)
As for foreigners getting ripped off by cab drivers ... I thought *we* invented that.
Really, on our last trip to Austria, in Vienna where all the cabs are Mercedes, the driver who picked us up at the Bahnhof deliberately started down the highway in the wrong direction, my mother-in-law lit into him in her folksy Slavish German dialect and the guy turned three shades of embarrassed (and turned the cab around and reset the meter.)
They've started, it's not quite a full assault yet, but a lot of the major retailers over here have started airing theirs.
We've one chain of department stores, John Lewis, who always make a fairly decent effort with theirs.
This was their 2011 offering:
2012
This year:
This is Tesco's (they're a huge chain of supermarkets). They're really trying to tug on the heart strings:
I take it it's the same everywhere at the moment? Do you get similar sort of Xmas adverts wherever you are?
What are your faves?
We've one chain of department stores, John Lewis, who always make a fairly decent effort with theirs.
This was their 2011 offering:
2012
This year:
This is Tesco's (they're a huge chain of supermarkets). They're really trying to tug on the heart strings:
I take it it's the same everywhere at the moment? Do you get similar sort of Xmas adverts wherever you are?
What are your faves?
K
Kaat72
Guest
The Day After Thanksgiving. Black Friday. Buying Christmas gifts today? And is this the moment for you to go loose and frantic with Christmas decorations?
SiempreTuna
Android Expert
Don't do that in Spain
The locals will hate you
People rarely tip more than a few cents
Absolutely - which is why adding service to a bill is so .. dumb
Quite apart from the fact the money often doesn't go to the servers
Personally, I always think a Merc looks naked without a taxi sign
K
Kaat72
Guest
Oh the horrible stress of Christmas decorating.
What colour scheme, what theme do I chose?
I need to make decisions within hours from now.
What colour scheme, what theme do I chose?
I need to make decisions within hours from now.
No, we don't start seeing the sentimental type adverts until much closer to Christmas. From Halloween on it's a push for gross consumption, obligation and overspending. For some reason, the automobile manufacturers really push hard this time of year, but I've still yet to find a new car under my tree.
This is the wife's favorite this year.
I doubt very much they'd be allowed to air an advert like that over here.
Shame.
Shame.
I do love that commercial, cracked up first time I saw it and it still makes me giggle.
The first time I saw it, I thought it would be pulled from the air, but they are still running it.
I think it's hilarious.
SiempreTuna
Android Expert
I think the fundemental error in your thinking is that Christmas decorations should be anything other than completely and utterly gaudy
If it ain't bad taste it ain't Christmas
K
Kaat72
Guest
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