The Jolly Man
Santa continues his Beijing tour by appearing at the Fairmont Beijing’s Christmas-themed teddy bear buffet on December 24 and 25. Kids can nibble on scones, cookies, sandwiches, and other treats as they wait to take a picture with old St. Nick.
On December 25, Santa will cap off the holiday season with the Ritz-Carlton Beijing Financial Street’s Christmas buffet. The food selection includes fresh seafood, meat roasts, and various kinds of desserts.
For complete information, see Events.
The Decor
Tianyi Market in Fuchengmen has everything you can think of, including fake Christmas trees, Santa Claus suits, Christmas lights, and more. The chain Hola branches across Beijing selling Christmas wrapping, garlands, snow globes, scented candles. Also, the furniture store Ikea has Christmas stockings, tree ornaments, festive tableware, window decorations, tree lights, and wrapping paper.
For Christmas greenery, check out the Laitai Flower Market near the Lufthansa Center or Beidong Floriculture Garden in Shunyi. The Liangma Flower Market can also do deliveries by flatbed bicycle or mianbaoche for RMB 10-30, depending on the distance and your haggling skills. Ask for pointsettias (yīpǐnhóng, 一品红), mistletoe (hújìshēng, 槲寄生), holly (dōngqīng, 冬青) or Christmas wreaths (shèngdàn huāhuán, 圣诞花环).
The Gifts
Sure you can find something in Yashow Market or Silk Street Market, but if you’re tired of bumping elbows with strangers, consider looking for presents elsewhere. Claire’s Music Studio and Roundabout present a CD of holiday music, sung by children and families, for RMB 100. CDs can be purchased at Claire’s Music Studio and 100 percent of the proceeds go to the orphanage. For more information on charities, including Roundabout. For something chic and trendy, consider the museum shops in Today Art Museum and UCCA in 798 for design items, from prints, postcards, notebooks and bags. For a more unique print, check out new-kid-on-the-block ZiAn Print and Graphics. Another great shop is Plastered 8, which offers a range of graphic tees for all ages with iconic Beijing logos, as well as keychains, coasters, bags and thermoses. Currently, they are having big sales on Taobao.com. Also, consider the Little Gold Book, which has pages of discounts to restaurants. For more info, see Noticeboard.
The Mass
Capital Community Church will provide two Christmas services on Sunday December 11 at 9am and 11am. At the 9am service, they will hold a full program for kids, with a Christmas performance. Alternatively, Beijing International Christian Fellowship (BICF) will hold a Christmas Eve services at 6pm on December 24. Also on December 24 at 7pm, the River of Grace Church will hold a Christmas Eve candlelight service. All services will be conducted in English and are for foreign passport holders only.
The Tree
This green giant is available at Pinnacle Plaza and Beidong Floriculture Garden (averaging RMB 1,000 per tree) in Shunyi. Downtown, prices for real pines at Liangma Flower Market range from RMB 350 for 1.3m and up to RMB 1,500 for 3.5m. Laitai Flower Market will also carry the real thing. Otherwise, save yourself the clean-up and pick up a faux tree at Wal-Mart, Ikea or Carrefour.
The Gingerbread House
Gingerbread, gumdrops, frosting, oh my! These edible four walls come in all shapes and sizes at various locales in town, including Hilton Beijing, Comptoirs de France, Grand Hyatt, South German Bakery and Kempi Deli. Or make it an afternoon of crafting, after picking up a darling do-it-yourself gingerbread house from Ikea for RMB 20.
The Entertainment
From December 26-27, the National Ballet of China performs Tchaikovsky’s renowned Swan Lake at the National Centre for the Performing Arts. Older kids will enjoy this tragic tale of love between the cursed swan princess Odette and her paramour, Prince Siegfried.
On January 7, Beijing Playhouse introduces one of Dr. Seuss’ most famous creations to Beijing audiences in How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The cast is made up of 6-14 year olds from the group’s Kids Winter Theatre Camp at Dulwich College Beijing.
Jan 7
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
RMB 300, RMB 260 (advance), RMB 130 (kids and students advance). 2pm. Dulwich College Beijing, Legend Garden Campus (performance@beijingplayhouse.com) www.beijingplayhouse.com
Dec 26-27
Swan Lake
RMB 100-680. 7.30-9.30pm. National Centre for the Performing Arts (6655 0000) www.chncpa.org/ens
The Feast
No holiday season is complete without a culinary centerpiece. For some families, it’s a stuffed turkey; for others, it’s a glazed ham or a roast chicken. In the Sanyuanqiao area, Kempi Deli offers its Turkey Takeaway special until December 26. Choose one of the following: a whole roasted US turkey (RMB 168/kg), a grain fed farm goose (RMB 148/kg), a honey glazed ham from Virginia (RMB 148/kg), or a leg of lamb (RMB 128/kg). It comes with three sides and stuffing.
At April Gourmet, A Food Affaire is a full-service deli and catering service with four
branches across Beijing. For the holidays, expect complete turkey dinners and succulent pork roasts. Call ahead for prices.
Near Chaoyang Park, Chef Too offers complete and fully cooked turkeys to go. It costs RMB 1,280 for a 5.5-6.4 kilogram bird or RMB 1,675 for an 8.2-10 kilogram bird. The price includes side dishes.
If you’d rather cook yourself and live in the Sanlitun area, artisanal French butcher Boucherie Michel sells cuts of beef, veal, lamb, pork, and sausages. A precooked 6-kilogram turkey from the US costs RMB 108/kilogram and must be ordered a week in advance. Roasted chickens are available every day for RMB 58/bird.
Alternatively, Baode Home Delivery delivers to your doorstep. Customers can buy quality beef, poultry, pork, lamb, seafood, and other imports straight from their website. Delivery is free for orders RMB 500 and over within the Fifth Ring Road. Orders under that amount and outside the delivery zone are charged RMB 30 a pop. A 7.7 kilogram turkey from the US costs RMB 358.
The Ice Skating
Houhai Lake won’t freeze over until mid to late December, but there are lots of indoor rinks to get a head start on ice skating season. The All Star Champion Skating Club in Solana is a 800-square meter ice rink, popular for both casual and professional skaters. Admission costs RMB 40 for 30 minutes. Located in the CBD, Le Cool is a good spot for a casual skating session. Admission, which ranges from RMB 30-50, includes 90 minutes of skating and the equipment rental fee.
For something a little different, the third annual Bird’s Nest Snow Festival will run from December 18 to mid-February of 2012 at the National Stadium. There will be 57,000 square meters of games and activities for kids and teens, including ice skating. Last year, there was a snow maze, snowball throwing, cage soccer on snow, free skiing, and more. Though prices haven’t been confirmed, last year it cost RMB 50 for admission to the stadium and RMB 120-180 for complete access to the festival.
Dec 18-mid Feb
The 3rd Bird’s Nest Snow Festival
Price TBD. 9am-5.30pm. Bird’s Nest National Stadium (8437 3008) www.n-s.cn/en
RESOURCES
A Food Affaire
Daily 8am-11pm. 1/F, April Gourmet, 5 Xingfuyicun Lixi, Chaoyang District (135 0107 1114 Simon Gauthier) 朝阳区幸福一村西里5号绿 叶子食品店1层
All Star Champion Skating Club 全明星滑冰俱乐部
Daily 10am-10pm. 1/F, Solana Lifestyle Shopping Park, 6 Chaoyang Gongyuan Lu, Chaoyang District (5905 6328) 朝阳区朝阳公园路6号蓝色港湾国际商区1层
Baode Home Delivery 宝德美食网
Daily 10am-8pm. Rm A3058, Zhanhua Bldg, 15 Gongti Donglu, Chaoyang District (400 687 3663 Ordering Hotline, infobj@baodefood.com) www.baodefood.com 朝阳区工体东路15号展华商务A3058室
Beidong Floriculture Garden 孙和大北东花艺苑
Daily 9am-5.30pm. 150m south of Sundahe Qiao, Jingshun Lu, Shunyi District (8459 3093) 顺义区京顺路孙大河桥南150米
Beijing International Christian Fellowship
1) Room FA 201, 2/F, 21st Century Theater, Chaoyang District (8454 3468, information@bicf.org); 2) Building C (Basement) Raycom Info Tech Park, Haidian District (8286 2813, information@bicf.org) www.bicf.org 1) 朝阳区21世纪剧院FA201室 2) 海淀区融科资讯中心C座地下
Boucherie Michel 米歇尔肉店
Daily 9am-8pm. 1/F, Jiezuo Dasha, 55 Xingfucun Zhonglu, Chaoyang District (6417 0489) 朝阳区幸福村中路55号杰座大厦1层
Capital Community Church
Beijing Arts Exhibition Center, 1A Shunhuang Lu (north of Beijing Riviera), Chaoyang District (8046 2716) www.capitalcommunitychurch.org 顺义区孙河乡顺黄路甲1号
Carrefour 家乐福
Daily 8.30am-10.30pm. 31 Guangqu Lu, Chaoyang District (5190 9508) 朝阳区广渠路31号
Chef Too 美西西餐厅
Tue-Sun 11am-2pm, 5-10 pm. Chaoyang Gongyuan Xilu (opposite West Gate of Chaoyang Park), Chaoyang District (6591 8676, chefbilly@yahoo.com) 朝阳公园西路（朝阳公园西门对面）
Claire’s Music Studio
L507 Euro Plaza, 99 Yuxiang Lu, Shunyi District (8113 8282, michoedu@yahoo.com.cn) www.michoeducation.com 顺义区天竺镇裕翔路99号欧陆广场, 5层, 507室
Comptoirs de France 法派
Daily 7am-8.30pm. 1/F, Bldg 5, Hairun International Apartment, 2B Jiangtai Lu, Chaoyang District (5135 7645) 朝阳区将台路乙2号海润国际公寓商业5号楼1层
Grand Hyatt 东方君悦大酒店
1 Dongchang’an Jie, Dongcheng District (8518 1234) 东城区东长安街1号
Hilton Beijing 北京希尔顿酒店
Daily 24 hrs. 1 Dongfang Lu, Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang District (5865 5000) 朝阳区东三环北路东方路1号
Hola 特力屋
Daily 10am-10pm. 1 Dongzhimen Nandajie, Dongcheng District (6772 8007) www.hola.com.cn 东城区东直门南大街1号
Le Cool 国贸冰场
Daily 10am-10pm. Mon-Fri: RMB 30 from 10am-6pm, RMB 40 from
6-10pm. Sat-Sun RMB 50. B2/F, China World Shopping Mall, 1 Jianguomenwai
Dajie, Chaoyang District (6505 5776, lecool@cwtc.com) wwwlecoolicerink.com 朝阳区建国门外大街1号国贸地下2层
Liangma Flower Market 亮马花卉市场
Daily 8.30am-6.30pm. South bank of Liangma River, 758 Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang District (6504 2446) 朝阳区东三环北路758号, 燕莎商城南, 亮马河南岸
Nuren Jie (Ladies Street)
Daily 10am-8pm. 9-1 Maizidian Xilu, Chaoyang District (6462 9989) 北京女人街服装市场，朝阳区麦子店西路9号甲1号
Plastered T-shirts
Daily 10am-10pm. 61 Nanluogu Xiang, Dongcheng District (134 8884 8855) www.plasteredtshirts.com 东城区南锣鼓巷61号
River of Grace Church
2/F, Great Hotel, 1 Zuojiazhuang, Chaoyang District (6466 1680, info@theriverofgrace.com) www.theriverofgrace.com 朝阳区左家庄1号北京贵国酒店二层
Solana Lifestyle Shopping Park 蓝色港湾国际商区
Daily 10 am-10pm. 6 Chaoyang Gongyuan Lu, Chaoyang District (5905 6565/68) 朝阳区朝阳公园路6号
South German Bakery德南面包房
Daily 9am-10pm (restaurant), 7am-10pm (bakery). 27 Lucky Street, 1 Chaoyang Gongyuan Lu, Chaoyang District (5867 0201) 朝阳区朝阳公园路1号好运街27号
Tianyi Market 天意市场
Daily 9am-7.30pm. 259 Fuchengmenwai Dajie, Xicheng District (6407 2981) 西城区阜成门外大街259号
Today Art Museum 今日美术馆
Daily 9am-5pm. Pingod Space, 32 Baiziwan Lu, Chaoyang District (5862 1100) www.todayartmuseum.com 朝阳区百子湾路32号
Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA) 尤伦斯当代艺术中心
Tue-Sun 10am-7pm. 798 Dashanzi Art District, 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District (8459 9269) www.ucca.org.cn 朝阳区酒仙桥路4号大山子艺术区
Wal-Mart 沃尔玛超市
Daily 7.30am-10.30pm. B1/F, Block B, Wanda Plaza, 93 Jianguo Road, Chaoyang District (5960 3566) 朝阳区建国路93号万达广场B座 B1层
ZiAn Print and Graphics 子安方家胡同店
Tue-Fri 1-5pm, Sat-Sun 12-6pm. 30 Fangjia Hutong, Dongcheng District (131 4649 3917, ziangraphics@gmail.com) 东城区方家胡同30号
