Christmas in Taiwan | 聖誕節在台灣

January 20, 2023

It seems a bit late to post about Christmas. This post has been written for about three weeks, but I’ve been so busy, there’s been no time to update my blog! I recently returned from an incredible three week trip around Taiwan, which I will update here sometime soon. I’m in the process of writing and compiling my (many, many) photos from the trip. Until then, enjoy some stories from Christmastime!

After Thanksgiving (one of my most homesick times), I was afraid that I would be very lonely and homesick on Christmas as well. I didn’t expect to experience the festive Christmas atmosphere here in Taiwan, but I was very pleasantly surprised! Although Taiwanese people broadly don’t celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday, there are still a lot of festivities mostly put on by different stores.

My first Christmas activity was decorating a small Christmas tree with my roommate, Sushanthi. Mom sent a small package with a felt Christmas tree and some small decorations to make our room a bit more festive. Sushanthi had never decorated a Christmas tree before, so it was really fun to do it together! I’m leaving the tree and decorations here in Taiwan for her so she can use them next year.

Decorating the tree

Final product!

After I got back from my trip to Shanlinxi (mentioned in my last post), I went to a Christmas party put on by ISIE, the same international student club that organized my trip to Taoyuan in November. I got to see a few of my old friends there and participated in a gift exchange where I got a small bottle of German mulled wine. At the party, we played mahjong and snacked on bubble tea and Kentucky Fried Chicken, a common Christmas food in Japan.

Mahjong friends

ISIE Christmas party

Later in the week, I was invited to a Christmas party at my friend Diana’s apartment. I knew about half of the people from my Chinese class, and together we all had a really good time.

Christmas at Diana's!

Another Christmas photo

I also had a chance to make Christmas cookies! When mom came to Taiwan, I asked her to bring the spices and a cookie cutter to make gingerbread cookies. Thankfully, Wendy’s sister loaned me her kitchen and oven, and I ended up making five dozen cookies to distribute to friends (and eat myself). It was so nice to have a little flavor of home in Taiwan! I also made some pumpkin bread from Trader Joe’s pumpkin bread mix (thanks to mom) which was very tasty. I organized a small gathering with some girls on my floor to watch the St. Olaf Christmas Festival where we enjoyed cookies and a small finals study break.

Preparing gingerbread dough

Over 60 packaged gingerbread cookies ready to share

Decorating the cookies

That week I celebrated Hannah and Erin’s (Wendy’s niece) birthdays! We went out for a lovely seafood Teppanyaki meal where I tried lots of new things that were very tasty. On the actual day of Hannah’s birthday, we went out with friends to Din Tai Fung at Taipei 101. Later in the evening, we met up with Wendy for some Thai food (Hannah’s favorite) and a nice night of jazz at Blue Note.

Out for Hannah and Erin's birthday dinner

One of several amazing things at dinner

Birthday cake at Wendy's house

At Blue Note Jazz

On Christmas Eve, I went skating with a big group of friends I made during the semester. I’d met up with this group a few times before for drinks and KTV, and this was our final reunion. A number of people didn’t know how to skate, so I ended up teaching a few of them how my dad taught me: by skating backwards and holding their hands. It was a really fun afternoon, and we warmed up with some Korean fried chicken for dinner. While the rest of the group went to see some Christmas lights, I went to a lessons and carols service at a small Presbyterian church near NTU. After church, I met up with the group again and we enjoyed drinks together one last time.

On Christmas Day, I slept in a bit and then went to have lunch and go on a small hike with my friend Jacob. We had initially planned to hike Yangmingshan (a famous mountain near Taipei) with another friend, but unfortunately the weather didn’t cooperate and our friend got sick. Instead, we went to Dahu park (大湖公園) to walk around and do a short hike. The weather was beautiful (a rarity for winter in Taipei), so it was nice to take advantage. After our hike, we stopped for a drink in a small coffee shop before heading back to NTU and saying our final goodbye. That evening, Hannah and I went to Wendy’s house and enjoyed spending time together with her and Allen while watching Christmas Fest again.

Although I wasn’t home for Christmas, it was still a very special and memorable time. I really enjoyed spending time with my new friends. I also called home a few times where it was nice to see my extended family together with my parents and Ellen.

View looking over the city

Moon bridge at Dahu park

Last outing with a dear friend!

The day after Christmas, I got a final lunch with my friend Lukas and his boyfriend Yuhong. We enjoyed danbing together from my favorite shop near Wendy’s house. It was sad to say goodbye, but I hope to meet both of them again sometime in the future when I’m back in Taiwan.

On Tuesday, my friend Violetta organized a small party for the girls on our floor before she went back to Belgium. We enjoyed a fun evening of pizza, fruit, and good conversation. That night, I finished my last essay of the semester, so I’m officially done with school! The next morning, Hannah and I left for the first leg of our trip, which I will write about in another post.

With Lukas and Yuhong

Before pizza

Very tasty handmade pizza

Last photo with the girls on my floor

I hope everyone had a nice Christmas and a happy new year! Enjoy some food and boba updates :)