All posts filed under: Blog

Oh Christmas Tree 2012

Published by Sula H.

  If you’ve known my blog for a while, you may recall my comments on our foreign-faculty-housing-lobby Christmas tree in the last couple of years. Those Christmas trees could best be described as “ugly,” and that would be flattering still, really. This year, however, things have changed. Drastically. I knew as soon as I saw some of our colleagues put up the Christmas decoration in the lobby the other day. I guess, they must have thought that with our new lobby putting up a scare-crow Christmas tree like in the old days wouldn’t just work the magic anymore. And I agree. So, this year, for the first time, it actually feels like Christmas when you walk into the lobby of our foreign faculty building. So, merry Christmas season to you, too!

12 – 12 – twenty-12

Published by Sula H.

It seems to me that today, December 12, two thousand and twelve, is a special day. Not because it’s Christmas season (although that may be exciting, too – at least for me). But because today seems to be a special date. Not that that is making my day any more special. But I feel like we should at least take note at some point and commemorate the fact that in fact we are – right now – living on the twelfth day of the twelfth month in the year of twenty twelve! When is that ever going to happen again? So, just in case you missed it, here’s my reminder. And a friendly wish from me to you: Happy everyday, this day!

Candles for the Advent Wreath

Published by Sula H.

Candles are a peculiar thing. Especially here in China. The use of candles generally is reduced to the purpose of shedding light in the case of blackouts which happen every once in the while (though admittedly, rather rarely). So, finding pretty candles to decorate your home with can turn into a rather challenging quest. When putting up my Christmas decoration a couple of weeks ago, I didn’t realize that I was in for another challenge. The problem: On my shelf I had a pack of red candles, which I had gotten last year for my advent “wreath.” Little did I know that the candles in that pack were actually the ones I had used last year already. In other words, they weren’t new. ‘Bummer,’ I thought to myself, ‘now I have to make another (whole day) shopping trip into the city just so I can get more candles.’ Well, I was able to combine it with some of my other Christmas shopping and errands. So it wasn’t actually that big of a deal. But for …

Christmas Bake Sale 2012

Published by Sula H.

Oh what fun it is to … have yummy American treats during the Christmas season! Well, you may think there’s nothing special about bake sales in December. But I can tell you, for those of us who don’t really have any alternative to yummy Christmas treats, having a bake sale in December is a highly anticipated, and well received event. In fact, those bake sales are getting so popular that it’s rather a challenge to stand in that never ending line and hope that once it’s your turn there’s going to be at least a few treats left. I did manage to get a couple of yummy treats after making it through that long line, and now I’m left to deal with the sugar overdose that is to follow inevitably … Off to enjoy some yumminess!

The Good News, the Bad News, and a Little About Christmas Shopping

Published by Sula H.

 I don’t know about you, but whenever there’s good news and bad news, I prefer to hear the bad news first! So, the bad news is that this year, for the first time we have to work past the Christmas holidays. In fact, if it was really bad news, I’d have to work on Dec. 26th, which back home is still a pretty full fledged Christmas holiday, called the “2. Christmas Holiday.” Fortunately, the good news about the bad news is that I can choose to not work on Wednesday, and work on Thursday (the 27th) instead. So far the bad news. Now to the good news … The good news is that this year, because none of us have their family around, among our friends we decided to have a real deal gift exchange. (Of course, not being able to celebrate Christmas with family is the bad news of the good news!) Anyhow, since we’re always trying to make the best of things, I think it’s a pretty splendid idea to have a Christmas …

Busy Blogger

Published by Sula H.

I have some exciting news to share with you! (And it’s also a little excuse for why blogging has happened so sporadically lately …) You see, I’m currently working at maintaining two blogs. Or we could say, I’m doing a double version of MistyHilltops.com. You ask why? Well, that’s what’s so exciting! I’m getting a new blog!!! That is: we are giving my current blog a facelift. A real deal, big fat facelift. My expert sister has decided to set me up with a more professional theme (thanks, dearest expert sister, you’ve made someone halfway around the world really happy!), and these days, I’ve been kind of busy trying to figure out everything with how that new blog works, how we can simplify things, and how to set up everything exactly according to my preferences. (Still working at most of all of that!) And since I actually also have a real life, a job, and a very active social life, maintaining two blogs means it’s either one or the other. And these days, it has been …

St. Nicholas' Little Surprises

Published by Sula H.

It’s Saint Nicholas Day in many places in Europe, and that usually means it’s a happy day for all the children. On the night of December 5th, they will put out their shoes in front of their doors, and over night, St. Nicholas comes by and puts treats and little toys into their shoes or boots. So, at least, goes the legend. Of course, I’m far too old for Nicholas boots and stockings, and usually I’m the only one around here who cares or even knows about such things. But when I opened my front door this morning, I found a sweet little surprise hanging on that door knob. And as I happily gathered that little stocking filled with goodness, I thought to myself: maybe there’s more to St. Nicholas than I thought … Anyhow, I for my part am glad that someone in our community knows about St. Nicholas Day. I’m glad that someone cares for these things as much as I do … And so, to everyone young out there, or young enough …

Mailing Christmas Cards and Other Adventures

Published by Sula H.

  Doing simple things here sometimes can be a lot more complicated than you think it is. Mailing Christmas cards, for one. The expected procedure: You take your Christmas cards to the post office, label an envelope with the correct address (yes, you don’t use your own envelopes; they have to be provided by the post office here – that, I learned early on when I first got here). You place your cards inside the envelope, pay the appropriate amount for the postage fee and leave the post office with that deep sense of satisfaction that you’ve yet once more accomplished to do something successfully. So goes the theory. Now to the practice (the way I experienced it two years ago): You get to the post office, show the clerk your pile of cards and explain that you would like to mail them internationally. And that’s when the frown comes. Not at the word “international.” That’s not the difficult part, really. That frown comes with the statement that these cards cannot be mailed, because they …

That Book We Call December Daily

Published by Sula H.

If you’ve peaked over into my little Digiscrap Corner these days, you may have realized that the December Daily takes a prominent role in the discussions over there. Most of my friends here wouldn’t know what the December Daily is, unless I told them: “It’s that Christmas book I made last year!” And then a glow of acknowledgement would light up their faces and they would say something like: “Ahhh, yes! That pretty book, which is so much fun to read,” because all year they’ve studied last year’s DD album, laughed at the pictures, and remembered the various occasions. And of course, they love to discover themselves in the photos, because most of them are part of the story at some point. This year, I’ve been working on a new December Daily album, which means I’ve gotten into the habit of using my camera a little more often, and taking pictures more regularly than usual. So, of course, my friends have noticed it, and they started to wonder about it. But when I tell them, …