I've never been the biggest fan of Christmas: I liked the presents, the cookies, the seasonal chocolate and the clay-mation specials from the 1960's. Other than that, Christmas traditions just turn me into a Hum Bug: sparkling snow reminds me of the unbearable cold and dangerous driving; my neighbors’ elaborate light displays scream ‘tacky fire-hazard’ not ‘whimsical beauty’; Starbucks’ covers of traditional Christmas songs (that start playing around Halloween) put me in more of a fighting spirit than a buying spirit; and due to a few unwanted and unexpected visits from the town Santa Clause as a Child, Santa scares me a little bit*. Last year, you would have heard the Kink’s satirical “Father Christmas” blasting as you drove by my undecorated, tree-less house on Christmas morning.
Foolish me, I thought I could escape all that in Indonesia. Java may be overwhelmingly Muslim, but its malls subscribe to a religion of shopping. As soon as the "Christmas Season" started, (thank god it doesn't start until December here) I heard cheesy Christmas music in every grocery store, lights and wreaths popped up in every mall, I even saw a few cardboard Santas in the factory outlets. Some of you may think Bandung does this to attract Christian tourists...except Bandung doesn't get much foreign tourism. This all seemed to be for the less-than-10% of the population that is Christian, and maybe even to get a few Muslims to buy stuff anyway.
Unfortunately, I put up with all the things I hated about Christmas (except the snow of course), but this year I missed out on the things I really liked. I shipped my presents, but missed the excitement of their reveal. I had no oven to bake cookies or pie. I didn't even watch my '60s Christmas Specials (until my boyfriend sent them to me in January. Thanks Troy!)! My Christmas festivities included sleeping until 3 pm, then watching movies all day.
AFS threw a Christmas party complete with dinner and a chicken-shaped hat. It was pretty fun, but not enough to make up for my poor planning and distance. Future exchange students: If you want a Christmas like you have at home, I suggest you plan it before you come. Even if you are a bit of a scrooge like me, just bring a few little things from home to share with your host country. It’s better that way.
*I never believed in Santa, but I still visited the town Santa each year. I never really enjoyed sitting on some strange mans lap, so this particular year I decided not to see him. Santa had different ideas. I was eating at a restaurant across the street from his seasonal hut when Santa went on break. Of Course, he spots the cute little girl across the street and decides to pay her a special visit. My family watched as he crossed the street, entered the restaurant and made me tell him what I wanted for Christmas. I think I told him I wanted metal detector, but what I really wanted for Christmas was not to be stalked by Santa. Oh well.
