Oh, the weather outside is frightful
But [inside]is so delightful
And since we [can’t leave Beijing]
[Here’s where to go to get that Christmas-y glow]

Okay clearly I’m not cut out to be a songwriter, but those holiday tunes have ear-wormed their way into my brain and are stuck there until Christmas, so we might as well throw ourselves into the festive season wholeheartedly! We’ve looked around the city and found some of the places, outside of hotels, with the nicest holiday decorations to help you get into the Christmas spirit, and most of them are free!

IKEA

Need more twinkle lights or Christmas ornaments? Well then, IKEA is a great place to go for those, because you’ll see the very same items displayed all over the shop in Siyuanqiao right now. The Strala Christmas stars are particularly eye-catching! While you’re there, check out their family Christmas menu for four, priced reasonably at RMB 158. Don’t forget to grab a DIY gingerbread house on your way out!

Solana

A top favorite with locals and expats alike, Solana Mall is known for imaginative decorations peppered throughout its many outdoor spaces. This year’s theme is the Winter Olympics, so you’ll find decorations such as a ice hockey player sculpture and an inflatable ice-skating donut all around the huge shopping area. Restaurants such as Wood Garden House and Kitty and Daniel’s also sport great decorations and a Christmas menu to match!

*Also worth mentioning is the Urban Glamping site just across Solana in Chaoyang Park, which features Santa Claus meet & greets included in the price of tea.

QiHao Mansion 北京启皓

This hidden gem is tucked away in an office building north of Sanlitun near the Liangma River but boasts a great backdrop for photos on a sunny afternoon. It’s just a little nook in the building lobby that is all decked out with Christmas trees, a cushy armchair, and all sorts of lovely decorations, but it’s not far from Solana so it might be worth combining the two to make it worth the trip!

Livat Mall

This mall may be new to you, but if school’s already out, you may as well explore the further reaches of Beijing and check out this spot down south by the fifth ring road. The mall is currently exhibiting a huge Christmas tree where they’ll periodically have a countdown and spray confetti – which as we all know, kids love to play with. There’s also kid-friendly live performances throughout the day, as well as a fun exhibition space to explore with some games and activities for little ones.

KEEP READING: Tea And Christmas Treats? Yes Please, At Beijing’s Finest Hotels

Images: Pexels, Dianping

You can either say that I’m a slow learner or that I’m hopelessly naive. I believed in Santa until I was 9 years old. Even then I still held out a slight glimpse of hope that maybe, just maybe, Santa could still be real.

When I was young my parents would somehow manage to decorate the whole living room in one night without ever waking me and tell me that Santa did it during the night. I’m not too proud of this, but Christmas morning when I was 8 years old and still obliviously wide-eyed, I took a tape measure out and measured the footprints on the carpet in our living room and compared them to my parent’s shoes before even glancing at the presents. What can I say? I read a lot of Nancy Drew back then and I was determined to catch jolly old Saint Nick.

When I was 9 years old my mom finally came clean about the decorations after I accused Santa of ripping off my dad’s design styles.

Nowadays I’ve met 4-year-olds who’ve rolled their eyes at me when I asked them what they’re hoping Santa will bring them for Christmas. Hanging around parents who are still seriously stressed out about their kids finding out that Santa’s not real doesn’t really happen anymore, but it’s not hard to understand why some parents still want their kids to believe in Santa Claus and the magic of Christmas. In a practical sense, it’s great for teaching kids geography and cultural diversity – trying to track Santa’s journey across the globe in one night and stopping in every country.

Here’s the question of the season.
How old were you when you realized that Santa’s not real?
Scan the QR code to vote:

Most of us living in Beijing are in apartments and even those of us living in villas don’t always have chimneys.

’Tis the season to be jolly. ’Tis also the season for the serious debate of how, logistically speaking, one fat man can make his way around the world and sneak into homes, bypassing state-of-the-art alarm systems and hyperactive family pets.

Photos: unsplash, giphy