Florida, originally uploaded by StrudelMonkey.

Ahhh ... Christmas time in Shanghai ... there are no chestnuts roasting on open fires or grandmas getting run over by reindeer (VW Santanas are to blame for that) ... they do decorate for the holiday season, though ... almost surprisingly so. Christmas here isn't too different from back home ... its all about consumerism and getting people out to the shopping malls ... call me an idealist, but something about all that leaves me cold ... i don't necessarily want the snow to start falling, but i could go for some old fashioned Christmas cheer and some of grandma's sugar cookies. if nothing else, at least i can pop 'Christmas Vacation' into the dvd player and live vicariously through Clark W. Griswold