ChinaFubar

Already it’s January 1st, 2009, geez, where did the millennium go?  For ChinaFubar it was a quiet New Year’s Eve, spent snuggling with Mrs. ChinaFubar and watching the festivities on Hong Kong TV.

Currently sitting at the local pub having a post new year’s lunch, and catching up with the New Year’s Eve happenings.  Apparently there was the usual antics,  foolishness in the bathrooms,  people drinking mass quantities, etc.  Seems, as in the U.S.  New Year’s Eve is “amateur night” here in China also.   But, some expats tend to be professional drinkers, so those dedicated souls consumed much more than usual apparently.

The pub itself is still showing the affects of the party, bits of silver confetti on the floor, chairs, and cracks in the bar.  Currently the barmaid is trying to get the confetti from on top of the flat screen TV behind the bar using a pool cue.

For ChinaFubar, this year has held a strange mix of events.  New jobs, no jobs, and moving around the country.  Looks like next year will bring more of the same.

It’s said that an optimist looks to the new year ahead, and from the sounds of things in the news, it’s going to be an interesting year.

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Just reading an article from New York Times,  “Chinese Savings Helped Inflate American Bubble” which attempts to make the convoluted argument the reason for the current recession, which was basically based on the party of binge borrowing coming to a halt, is not because Americans borrowed so much, but because Chinese saved so much.  Thus, there was an excess of Chinese capital that was made available to banks and lending institutions and was used underwrite American consumption.

The article goes on to talk about how the  trade deficit gave China so much U.S. capital it had to plow it back into the U.S. economy in the form of purchasing debt such as Treasury bills and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debt.

While the article has the basics of the picture painted pretty well, I’m not sure the conclusion is correct.

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Well, it’s Christmas Day in Dongguan, and rather than presents under the tree and a scene from the movie “A Christmas Story,”  I’m typing away on the computer, the wife’s sleeping on the couch, where she was when I woke up this morning, (no reason why so far) and the construction workers are banging away downstairs on yet another apartment redecorating project.

To be fair, apparently there was a bit of holiday spirit, dare I say CHRISTMAS spirit in the air last night around town.  Concerts, recitals, the local expat school had their Christmas Pageant, and the mall next door had a show of some sort.  Actually the show was put on by a local auto dealer trying to drum up sales for Geelys, Suzukis, Great Wall, Chevrolet, and some other brand with a Mini knock-off.

The show also included dancers, who while we were watching were doing some sort of dance routine that I think was supposed to be “sultry” but instead they just had a look of general unhappiness to be there.

The whole display was capped off by a giant Christmas tree made of Snow beer cans.

At least the PA system wasn’t blaring out what is apparently the one Christmas music CD that is available locally.  Cutsey-sounding kids singing Christmas carols.  First 100 times it was cute, and put one in the holiday mood.  Second thousand times,… you get the picture.  This one has been playing everyplace from the Carrefour, Dongcheng Walking Street, Trust Mart, and the Japanese Noodle shop.  Sales must have been in the 100’s for this CD.

Of course, not a lot of the local population really understands what Christmas is all about, mostly an excuse for a party and maybe exchanging of gifts, and an excuse for the vendors to run around to the customers giving day planners for next year.  I’ve also gotten a ton of e-mails from executive recruiters wishing me a Merry Christmas, and if I know of anyone looking for a new job to refer them and I’ll be entered in a chance to win a 3000HKD gift certificate to some high end department store or another.  About as much chance of that happening as one of said recruiters actually placing someone in a job.

To be fair, seems this year there is an attempt by some folks here that actually understand the true meaning of Christmas to try and get the word out,  Even the local government sponsored English language news website “Dongguan Today” had an article about the story behind Christmas.  I’d link to it but it’s been taken down already.

I know this all sounds cynical on my part, but for some reason the Christmas spirit has yet to descend on your able writer. Had a brief encounter with it sitting in Starbuck’s a couple of weeks ago, but still waiting.  Maybe the sub tropical weather, palm trees and beer can Christmas trees has something to do with it.

I do have to say, as cynical as it sounds, from what I’m hearing back in the states there is more Christmas Sprit in our little atheistic city of Dongguan than there is in most of U.S.  Of course the current economy is playing a part in the reduction of holiday cheer in the states, but I’m hearing that political correctness has about wiped out the whole celebration of Christmas. I was in the states last year for Christmas, and I do have to say, more holiday spirit and “Merry Christmas” – NOT “Happy Holidays” here in DG land.

‘Tis a shame really,

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

And May Peace be With You and Your Family

ChinaFubar