中国式圣诞节的真谛

For many Westerners, the idea of Christmas awakens childhood memories of a glowing tree with delicately strung twinkling lights, tinsel and ornaments hovering over brightly wrapped presents in crisp paper.

Many expatriates can't go home on December 25, so for those who only get to see their families once or twice a year, China gives Christmas a new meaning.

Eugene Panchenko, a customer service representative at Vertu, explains why his first Christmas in China is special.

"In Russia we don't have Christmas in December, we celebrate it in January. We just meet our family and go to church before twelve at night, and then we go home and have a really nice dinner."

Roast turkey with potatoes is a family tradition that curiously transcends borders, and is a hearty Christmas favorite reaching all the way to Peru and Mexico, the UK, Germany, France, and even up to Canada.

However, Germans add red cabbage, Peruvians add apple sauce and Mexicans add spicy chilies and nopales - a kind of prickly pear cactus.

Because being away from family can be lonely at this time of year, lots of expats host a meal where everyone contributes a dish or brings something to drink.

Naturally, because of the mix of nationalities in Beijing, it's not unlikely to see the Christmas meal include items like potato salad, fried rice, nachos and curry.

But for many expats, no amount of recreation will ever suffice.

Others like American David Pimentel, an English textbook author, are actually looking forward to the experience.

"This is going to be my first Christmas away from home, so I'm actually kind of excited about trying to recreate the whole thing, and I figure as long as you have good friends, and all the things that make Christmas, you can really have a fun time."

Regardless of whether they say "Merry Christmas" or "Feliz Navidad", they all emphasize that December 25 isn't really about wreaths or Santa, and it's not about the food, it's about being with the people you care about.