介绍:
Growing up in Canada, one of my favorite times of the year is Christmas and my favorite thing to do is going to a Christmas Bazaar.
A bazaar is a kind of market. Originated in the Middle East, where goods and services are exchanged in outdoor merchandising areas, the idea has spread to numerous countries around the world where it has become a popular method of fundraising, especially for churches around Christmastime.
Although in China, most bazaars are found in cities such as Urumqi, Upal and Kashgar in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, recently, they have been popping up all over Beijing as well. The most popular ones are in the Hutongs.
I am in the Hutongs near the Beixinqiao Subway Station and there is a Christmas bazaar taking place at the Culture Yard, a language learning centre in Beijing. Normally, this courtyard house is divided into several classrooms where Chinese language and culture classes take place. Today, the table and chairs are put away and the space is turned into a Christmas flea market.
So let's step inside and see what's going on.
In the courtyard, there's a Christmas tree, already decorated from top to bottom with ornaments.
It's quite a warm winter day today. There's no wind. People are dressed in red, green, blue…all bright and Christmas colors. A lot of the vendors are outside in the courtyard! Victoria is from San Francisco. She is here with some homemade skincare products.
"I have lotion bars. So these are all natural organic solid bars of lotion. They're solid because regular lotion in liquid form requires the use of preservatives and synthetic chemicals. I want to have an all natural alternative and I began to make my own bars of lotion."
In the yard, you can also find some caramel coffee, tea and the ultimate Christmas drink, Eggnog. It's a sweetened dairy-based beverage traditionally made with milk and cream, sugar and whipped eggs, which gives it a frothy texture. Sometimes, spirits such as brandy, rum or bourbon are also added. The finished serving is often garnished with a sprinkling of ground cinnamon or nutmeg. Eggnog is a traditional drink consumed throughout Canada and the United States on Christmas Day.
Now, inside one of the rooms surrounding the courtyard, you can find more Christmas goodies such as gingerbread cookies, jams, jewelry and some ornaments. Carolyn is here with some Christmas flavored jams and jelly.
"I make homemade jams with very little sugar and Indian organic spices. So I have a Chinese recipe, like pear and ginger. Then I have pear cardamom that's really good for your stomach. I have pear vanilla and banana vanilla. I have the Chinese hawthorne, which is good for the stomach too. Then, I have special ones with cardamom and rosemary."
There are also some Christmas ornaments which you use to decorate your Christmas trees. Here we have little figurines of Santa Claus and there are some candy canes, plastic fruits and animals, snowmen, angels and snowflake.
Besides food and decors, you can also find some last minute presents. Alexandra is here with her sister and they have rings, necklaces, and bracelets.
"Everything you see here on the table is handcrafted. Some are hand-painted. Some are gold-plated. What we want to show people is the beautiful things that you can get when you use your hands to create things. And they're nice presents to give to people, especially on this occasion."
One of the most important events around Christmas time is the family dinner and one of my favorite items on the dinner table is the pie. Here, at the bazaar, you can get freshly-baked pies in various flavors including pecan, pumpkin and apple.
After all the festivities on Christmas Eve, you can find the perfect breakfast cereal made with nuts and sunflower seeds for Christmas Day at Miss Musli.
"My name is Clara. My partner and I just opened a new home-made and customized musli granola business. People usually eat musli or granola for breakfast. It can be everyday breakfast. We do have Christmas gift packaging so if you're looking for a present that's healthy and looks nice, this may be an option."
That gives you an idea of what you can find at a Christmas bazaar. You can find almost anything and everything for Christmas – from food to decoration to even presents. It's a great place for some last minute Christmas shopping. The only drawback is that you have to keep your eyes open for them since it's so rare to find a Christmas bazaar in Beijing.
For Studio +, I'm Doris Wang.
