Revelers have early Christmas

A CHRISTMAS party was held at Jane’s Place in Huafa New Town December 9 evening for some 20 expatriate families that are returning home for seasonal celebrations
Both Chinese and foreign families enjoyed the barbeque, games for children, Santa Claus performed by Ron Keelan, who besides teaching at EF Zhuhai Language Training Centre is a well-known musician. The party was cosponsored by www.huababaua.com, a meat and small goods supplier, Kongxi – InterSpace – Zwischenraum Ltd, a Hong Kong private business, Jane’s Place Coffee Shop and Legendary Golf Academy of Wanzai, the party contains
While the adults had dinner, talking over wine or beer at tables, the children were coached in the backyard by golf pro Ben Tarry at playing pass-the-parcel as they sat on the ground in a circle. At the back of the circle was red-costumed Santa Claus on a reclining chair, bellowing “Merry Christmas” to freeze the gift being passed on in the hands of the children. The one who held the gift when the yell took place would possess it and then the game moved on. Gifts include toys, chocolates and candy.
The second game was pin-the-tail-of-the-donkey. A blind-folded child was asked to turn around three times before almost impossibly pressing a thumb pin on the tail of a pictured donkey. The one who stuck the donkey in the rear would win a gift, but only a few succeeded. Some kids looked at the donkey very carefully before having their eyes covered but pointed the pin in a wrong direction after the spin-around, which aroused great laughter from the young onlookers.
“I think it’s good for children. They are having fun,” Tarry said. In response to TSC Doc Tempest’s poster soliciting participants and sponsors of the party, he had decided to donate toys and design two games for the children.
“In England, people get together to have a party for Christmas -- not only families, but also friends -- and we do that all the time every year -- Santa Claus and fun games,” Tarry added. Tarry arrived in Zhuhai last January from London. He also teaches golf to children at Legendary Golf Academy. “Pass-the-parcel game is English and pin-the-tail-of-the-donkey game is English; that’s how we make the party traditional,” he explained.
Hungarian Krisztian Kormendi, purchasing manager of EPCOS Zhuhai and husband of the coffee shop owner, said the party was non-profit and for the sake of the community celebrating together before traveling apart for the holidays.
“Christmas is very important in Europe. Everybody goes to meet together with their whole family, and it’s very, very quiet,” Kormendi said. People stay at home with their family, having dinner, exchanging gifts, and preparing Christmas food together. A lot of people go to church at midnight and give money and food to the poor. “It’s like a reminder to show your love, to help other people,” he said.
Anders Carlsen, a Dane who works at Coloplast, took part in the party with his family. “I think it’s nice and cozy,” he said. In Denmark, people host a party for family and also for friends. “We do the same. The only difference is food. Nobody will barbeque, because it’s very cold outside,” he said. He will stay in Zhuhai for Christmas and New Year’s, and have families visit here.
Anders’ son Victor, a 7-year-old with a self-styled vogue hairstyle, won pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey game. He said he would like to buy and set off fireworks on Lovers Avenue during the upcoming Chinese New Year, which he missed last year.
Randall Martin, an American who works at Jinlu (Golden Road) Kindergarten, played Santa Claus at the party. Knowing from the poster that a Father Christmas had been needed, he called co-organizer Doc and said: “If you can’t find one, I’d like to play.”
“It’s all for the children,” Martin added. “It’s like in school and it’s just like being an actor,” he explained.
Janine Kruse, Doc’s wife from Hamburg, Germany, worked with Jane to prepare for the party more than a week ago. “Everybody wanted to have a Christmas party before they leave for Germany and then I told Jane I would take care of the products and some other things, and then we made it,” she said. She and her family went back to Germany for Christmas and the New Year last Friday and will return for Chinese New Year in January.
“It turned out to be a very nice party. People are having a good time, enjoying good food, talking to each other, and music is about to start, and Ron is going to sing,” said Doc who was barbequing at the time. As an initiator, Doc provided some wine and barbequed meat for the party.