While some expats in Beijing are still groaning about not being able to go home for Christmas, others have decided to make this Christmas one to remember.
A group of 30 people, mostly expats, will dress as Santa Claus on Christmas Day in an effort to put smiles on strangers' faces.
The parade will start at 10 am today at Wudaokou, Beijing's university hub in Haidian District, before moving to the city center, all the way from the Dongsishitiao Subway station to Houhai.
"The idea is simple," says Jon Bjarki Magnusson, a young man in his 20's from Iceland who initiated the march of the Santas.
"Instead of staying in a hotel room and crying about not being at home for Christmas, we've decided to create some real fun."
Magnusson says that Beijing has plenty to offer for a merry Christmas. In a place like Wudaokou, where the English teacher lives and works, he says everything is very convenient.
"There is music, film, clubs and restaurants," he says.
"For Christmas, I could go to (nightclub) Propaganda and get drunk like many expats here. However, when you wake up next morning, there is nothing really left."
According to Magnusson, people have gotten so used to "prescribed fun" that they tend to forget that real fun comes from putting effort into doing something.
"It involves a process of creation," he says. "And that is why we call it recreation."
Magnusson has set up a group on community network website Facebook called "Practical Fun in the Now".
In the introduction to the group, Magnusson writes that people must take action to realize their dreams, no matter how ridiculous it may seem. Since it was established earlier this year, the group has grown to 120 members.
Londoner Matthew Barwick, Magnusson's roommate, supports the ideology behind "Practical Fun in the Now."
"I think people in their 20's are in a state of limbo," Barwick says. "We are not that young anymore so the novelty of some activities has worn off, nor are we old enough to be weighed down by responsibility.
"We still want to have fun, which simply can't be achieved by doing the same things all the time."
The ideology of Practical Fun in the Now has, as Barwick puts it, ignited his enthusiasm toward life. He co-organized with Magnusson the upcoming marching of Santas across Beijing.
"We think it is a great idea, so we invited our friends to join us," Barwick says.
Within one week of announcing the march, 15 people signed up. That number has now grown to 30.
Barwick says that there would be even more Santas if Tuesday wasn't a working day. However, just in case more show up, Barwick and Magnusson have prepared 40 suits.
This isn't the first time that Magnusson has organized something like this in China
Two years ago, when he was traveling here for the first time, he arrived in Zhengzhou, the capital city of Central China's Henan Province, around Christmas time.
Magnusson thought of Iceland, where one Santa Claus comes to town each day during the 13 days before Christmas.
Within 24 hours, Magnusson persuaded 12 other tourists to dress up with him to march across Zhengzhou as the "13 Santas from Iceland". The group danced, gave out gifts and even took over a fashion show. Some of the scenes were recorded and uploaded on YouTube.
Both Magnusson and Barwick hope that today's parade will inspire others to get some fun out of their lives.
"If each individual spreads a little bit of fun around him," says Magnusson, "what you'll see is small little things happening every where."
(China Daily December 25, 2007)
