Our Advent in China
In December's beijing kids I wrote about the only Christmas Mass we attended in our more than nine years in China. In the original blog post from December, 2008, I described the event, which we have often referred to as "Mass-a-palooza" in more (rambling) detail.
One thing I mention toward the end of my December submission is that I feel a little sad in December, observing Advent in our parish in China, and then leaving in the middle of it to celebrate Christmas in Pennsylvania. This year was the same.
More after the jump
The parishioners and seminarians were already busy with Christmas preparations by the Third Sunday of Advent. It looked to be a big celebration coming.
Of course, we also sang the Advent hymn 人类救主请速降临 (O Come O Come Emmanuel) like we have in the past.
欢欣! 欢欣!
以色列民救世真主快要降临
Huānxīn! Huānxīn!
Yǐsèliè mín jiùshì zhēnzhǔ kuàiyào jiànglín
In our own home, too, we prepared, in our own way. Once again, we bought the kids Lego Advent calendars in Germany, where they are sooooo much less expensive than they are in the US.
unpacking a few of our nativity scenes and our Christmas tree (again, just as I described in the December 2010 beijing kids) and our ornaments. We enjoyed these for about a week and a half before we left to come to the US.
The first ornament we put on is Troy Polamalu, who even in retirement can cover the whole tree.
Once again, in our Beijing apartment, the Christmas season will last until, ummm, The Baptism of the Lord. Sometimes necessity is the mother of Tradition as well.
One thing I mention toward the end of my December submission is that I feel a little sad in December, observing Advent in our parish in China, and then leaving in the middle of it to celebrate Christmas in Pennsylvania. This year was the same.
More after the jump
The parishioners and seminarians were already busy with Christmas preparations by the Third Sunday of Advent. It looked to be a big celebration coming.
Of course, we also sang the Advent hymn 人类救主请速降临 (O Come O Come Emmanuel) like we have in the past.
欢欣! 欢欣!
以色列民救世真主快要降临
Huānxīn! Huānxīn!
Yǐsèliè mín jiùshì zhēnzhǔ kuàiyào jiànglín
In our own home, too, we prepared, in our own way. Once again, we bought the kids Lego Advent calendars in Germany, where they are sooooo much less expensive than they are in the US.
unpacking a few of our nativity scenes and our Christmas tree (again, just as I described in the December 2010 beijing kids) and our ornaments. We enjoyed these for about a week and a half before we left to come to the US.
The first ornament we put on is Troy Polamalu, who even in retirement can cover the whole tree.
Once again, in our Beijing apartment, the Christmas season will last until, ummm, The Baptism of the Lord. Sometimes necessity is the mother of Tradition as well.
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