Tis’ the Season

Immediately after Thanksgiving, Kelly and I began our Holiday Season (aka Christmas celebration, because we’re the only people involved this year, sorry Jewish friends!) I wasn’t about to let Christmas sneak up on me like Thanksgiving had, so a few days after Turkey Day me and Kelly took a trip to the Super Wal-Mart of Beijing.

This was clearly an event, as we rarely take the subway after work. We typically save this slow method of transportation for the weekends when we have more time to walk for 10 minutes down a winding path, sometimes emerging above ground and winding through a labyrinth in a crowd of angry Beijinger (which is amazingly more terrifying than angry New Yorkers) just to make a transfer between lines. New Yorkers definitely walk with a purpose, but they are (generally) still able to walk in a crowd with an understanding of personal space. During Beijing’s rush hour, if I were to attempt to retrieve something I’d dropped, I would never emerge, but rather disintegrate into the ground, crushed by thousands of high-heeled boots.
But, the Christmas decorations were a must.

We had heard about there being a Wal-Mart, which is kind awesome and mostly pitiful, except for the fact that it carries the only holiday decorations in the city. The store was giant, with multiple floors. All the department and grocery stores here have something like ramp-escalators, which is exactly as it sounds, and really comes in handy when you’re moving from floor to floor with a cart-full of Christmas décor.

We bought one of everything, and two of some things that were too good to skimp on.
We debated buying an actual fake tree, which they did carry, but the expense, the waste, and the idea of trying to ride it home on our bikes seemed to outweigh our desire. Instead, we bought 5 boxes of lights, and Kelly used green electrical tape to make a tree on our wall, which we adorned with classy ornaments from a package, like a bright pink felt raindeer, and a purple, styrofoam mini-wreath.

I did buy a mini-Christmas tree, about one foot tall and pre-decorated with fake snow, golden balls and bows, and what appears to be a some gold plastic sticks sticking here and there. We put it with some stockings under our TV, and presents that we bought and wrapped together for each other. Some I accidentally wrapped for myself, and then had to write, “To Bekki, Love Kelly.”
That’s not to mention the tinsel, bows, and random Santa-wear we also purchased. Kelly said no one is allowed to come to our apartment until January. I already invited everyone I know for a cookie-decorating and eggnog extravaganza.
At the checkout, we managed to package all of our holiday bling into a giant backpack, and one giant open bag, about two feet by one foot long. We felt successful, until we reached the subway.
It was 7:30, which in Beijing Subway terms means “death.” The crowd just to get onto the subway platform started at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the platform. We heard a train leave and made our way into the stair crowd, working towards the platform. There was another giant crowd waiting at the bottom, seemingly waiting to leave the station. Instead, the guard released a gate and the mass moved up the “exit” stairs and crowded the beginning of the platform. Safe, right?

Eventually we made it to the platform of no escape. We thought about taking a taxi, but were trapped by the crowd on the exit stairs and had no choice to inch closer to the tracks at each train. When a train did come, the crowd was aggressive in a way I’ve never seen before. One man was pushing people onto the train, wildly shoving their shoulders with the palm of his hand and then forcing himself behind the closing doors. I clutched my giant bag of teetering goodies and went as “city” as I get to make it onto the train and off at the next stop.

It was no small victory to be riding our bikes, overflowing with Christmas accessories, back to our apartment.