OK, well, my guess is that the larger international standard hotels etc. in Kunming probably take general US Christmas fare as standard for Christmas menus for foreigners - would include turkey and potatoes of some sort, at least.

Turkey is 'general US Christmas fare'? Interesting, but then Alien is an expert on all things American. I think but I am not sure, no?

Geezer, you are absolutely right, except in this case you are maybe wrong. Unless of course I miss understood you then you are right. But I'm pretty sure I didn't, so I believe that's the case, right? no?

At least we can all agree that your name starts with the letter G, unless you come from a country that does not use the Latin alphabet like China.

@Geezer, well, I thought it was.
What's Christmas pudding?

@Alien: I have no idea what Christmas pudding is.

If memory serves, Christmas in the US, when I was a kid, had ethnic characteristics. Where I grew up family Christmas traditions tended to follow the old country ways of our grandparents.

My mother had nine siblings, I had 32 first cousins and we all gathered at my grandparents home Christmas eve. Then trooped off to Midnight Mass.

On Christmas Day, the tribe would reconvene again for an early dinner of ham, kielbasa, borscht, pierogi, galumki with the uncles drinking beer in the living room watching football and the aunts gossiping in the kitchen. No turkey or pudding.

Wesołych Świąt i szczęśliwego Nowego Roku!

Christmas pudding a rock hard fruit and nut cake, topped with icing.
It's put on the table, drenched with rum, set alight and then served.

When it is made there will have been a coin added to the mixture and it's considered lucky to get the serving containing the coin.

Fancy having a Christmas without Christmas pudding!

Its a steamed alcoholic fruit cake (hence a pudding), not rock hard, but very dense. It's usually served with brandy (or rum) butter in the UK, but you could have it with cream or even custard, or just by itself. It's incredibly filling and rich, but delicious in small amounts. There has been NO icing on every pudding I've eaten, but in xmas cards it often appears to be iced.

steamed alcoholic fruit cake that's hopefully set on fire! me want to try.

any updates on what Kunming's favourite western restaurants are offering on xmas day?

I'm waiting to see some options advertised on here, but have't seen anything yet.

I have no idea if at my favourite haunts it's business as usual, if they will close, or have the full spread this Christmas.