Christmas morning Laurie dressed as Santa and we went to DuTou for a bit of a party. The students were thrilled. They loved getting close to him. And he loved playing the part. His "Ho! Ho! Ho!" was quite convincing.
The students lined up in their places on the playground to sing Jingle Bells, a favorite song across China, and then we broke things up to do the "rabbit dance." I soon realized we were doing what we call the bunny hop! Some danced in the normal line and some tried this circle approach. After the dance the students lined up again and we handed out the "goodies" for DuTou. I received some very sweet notes and pictures from students. One of these days I'll find someone to tell me what the notes say!
After everything was handed out, we teachers, volunteers and friends gathered for a photo. Then the foreigners went back to Yangshuo since we had the day off. Most of us talked with family members at home that afternoon and then gathered for a Christmas meal in the evening. It was a complete day.
There have been other meals and gatherings to finish out the year and to start the new one. Much like at home we have celebrated together and been thankful for family and friends.