Top 10 best things about Christmas in East Asia

10. Our annual, no-kids-allowed citywide Christmas dinner and gift war exchange, where we give and receive the strange (sardines), the practical (Shout stain gel), and the coveted (Rotel).
  9. Care packages from people back home who either really love us or just enjoy confusing their friendly neighborhood post office clerks.
  8. My mom's Christmas chai tea mix, which (like everything from America) tastes even better over here.
  7. The beautiful new star on top of our Christmas shrub tree, handmade by deaf minority ladies.
  6. The Madonna with black hair and black eyes, and the holy infant wrapped in Chinese silk.
  5. Not having to drive on snowy/icy roads because we don't have a car anyway.
  4. Not having to attend 50 million different Christmas parties because almost everyone we know was at the one we had last night.
  3. No Santa Claus.
  2. No Black Friday.
  1. Never having to wonder whether or not all that we have given up in order to be here is going to be worth it in the end.