Xmas Without China

During the past few years, there has been growing debate over the amount of Chinese-made merchandise being sold in U.S. retail channels. For Chinese-born, California-based Tom Xia, the resulting negativity over the “Made in China” label prompts him to post a challenge to his neighbors: live one month in the weeks prior to Christmas without using or purchasing any Chinese-made objects. Xia's challenge is accepted by the Joneses, a young family concerned over news reports about dangerous Chinese-made toys. But the Joneses find themselves in something of a predicament: almost everything in their house—ranging from their coffee pot to their Christmas lights—was made in China. The family stubbornly presses on with their challenge, eating from paper plates and using candles for illumination while trying to avoid anything that came from China. The Joneses' perseverance would be an interesting subject in itself, but director Alicia Dwyer unwisely divides this documentary with a focus on how Xia's family is trying to assimilate further into their California culture by constructing a rather large house and creating an elaborate Christmas light display. The elder Xias are charming, but their story just doesn't have enough resonance to command attention, while Tom himself is too laidback to make much of an impression (his personal conflict about taking on American citizenship becomes something of a distraction, especially when he lies to the Joneses about being a U.S. citizen). Still, given the timely subject matter, this should be considered a strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)