Merry Christmas everyone. It has been a busy few days here in Changsha with all the festive activities that we were involved in.

CHRISTMAS EVE - just a normal morning, teaching as per usual, but we went out for lunch to a fish restaurant with the other teachers from our office. The fish was really fresh, we picked it ourselves out of the tanks. Was given the afternoon of, so we caught up on some well deserved sleep, energising ourselves for the night. This involved us all dressing up as Santa Clauses' and handing out parcels and persents to all of the kids in our classes. Luckily we didn't need to hand the actual gifts out for most of the classes, cause that would have taken for ever, but we handed a bag to each teacher. We were suppose to get the kids to do something to earn the presents, i just asked mine what they thought was in the sack that I was carrying, they'd been learning the word "present" so glad that most of them remembered it. Anna got her kids to sing songs, suppose this is easier to do with the older ones who can actually string full sentences together.

This surprising didn't last to long, only 45 mins to hand gifts out to 10 classes, so afterward we headed back to the flat for a few drinks to bring in Christmas 2009. For Soren, Anna and Cassie though it was already Christmas, they oddly celebrate it on the 24th, and open their presents at night. Also the German gifts aren't even brought by Santa, they are brought by an angel - man that's messed up.

CHRISTMAS DAY - an early rise cause we need to go to Shazitang Primary school. Had my grade 5 classes, and they were very generous with their presents. In my three classes i received many gifts - the best by far was a panda hat that one of my kids bought me, but i also got a great biscuit house, and a chinese/russian doll and many other things. In the kindergarten I also received a panda hat, i clearly look like the kind of person who appreciates novelty panda hats - I do!!! At kindi we threw a party for them, pass the parcel, musical statues and the candy and spoon race. They seemed to enjoy themselves, and cheated very badly at the candy and spoon race which was funny, we let the 2 year olds just use their hands to pick the candy because it would be to difficult for them, and they wouldn't be able to carry many - oh how we were mistaken, they managed to fill the stocking before the time was up, oh well all in the spirit of christmas.

Off to Micheal's house after that, for a whole roasted pig, he had obviously gone to a lot of effort as there were balloons all around the garden, and decorations hanging. They have a custom at parties to hang red envelopes on the trees, one for each of the guests, these have money in them, only a little amount but thought that was nice. the whole roasted pig, that they had been cooking all day was great, as was the snake, turtle and all the other random concotions that were available for our Christmas dinner. Not like any other xmas dinner that i'd had before.

Got to speak to my sis and my dad on Christams day, which was nice - they seemed to have had a good day back home. Didn't get as homesick as what I thought I might over the day, don't think it really sunk in that this day was different from any other day. Although everyone really tried to create a fantastic night it wasn't what any of us expected or where used to for this time of year. This was added to by the fact we ate dinner outside cause it was a warm clear night, wouldn't be doing that back home.

BOXING DAY - another early start, and headed to Soren, Cassie and Scott's kindergarten for another xmas party, and we once again had to dress up as Santas. This was a complete waste of time, we arrived at 8.30 but we didn't sing our song "we wish you a merry christmas" until nearly 11. We were a complete publicity stunt for the cameras, but we made it through. Soren and Matt I think were still drunk when we arrived, from the heavy drinking from the night before. I had been a good girl and not been drinking, saving myself for boxing day night.

All rested up after the kindi, out for dinner and off to the Super Mario bar to visit West and Chewing Gum. Consuming a bottle of vodka, playing many drinking games we eventually moved on to daylight donuts for some sobering up, and off to Milky's. A bottle of whisky later, we were ready to leave, but not before feasting on a KFC.

SNOW!! it felt like it snowed just for us, when we came out of KFC to grab a taxi. It had been such a clear night. The snow fell fast and heavy, but not gonna ly. It was the end to a very good night out with my friends in Changsha.