The "Pioneers" of our annual Christmas Party are- Myself, my Aunt Julie, my Sis, uncle Danial & the-then-GF-now-wifey aunt Serene, and my three cousins- Simon, XXL, Tze. The year was 1986. Over the years, more cousins and aunts, uncles joined and slowly, we have one, two, or actually, five more off-springs. (29 years for five new babies is quite a slow birth rate ya?)
There was a period when one of my aunt and another uncle... (both not from the pioneer group), they were overtly aggressive in promoting their religion via this platform, they invited their church people to our party. The first time we've tried to be open to the Christmas Caroling, etc. The next year, more preaching, the following year all the crying-praying open sharing sessions that made the rest of non-Christians feel that they were at the wrong place. It became very awkward and I stopped inviting my two, secondary school friends (although one is Christian, the other isn't) and my cousins from my maternal side (whom I feel bad that they put up with this because they trusted me. furthermore, my friends and cousins came with spouses and kids in tow). For several years, our family party was in tenterhooks because my three other cousins who are non-Christians boycotted the party. My sis & I were the only non-Christians bridging the tension. When my pioneering aunt, who wasn't pushy but was exasperated that our yearly gathering looked like it was going to die a natural death, she kept coming to me for my comments during those sensitive years. I told her that first and foremost, we are happy that they found Christ. For me, if they can quarrel less, make a bit more sense of their lives, have an avenue and support to cope with their lives' challenges, find meaning in their other lives as Christians; go ahead. Anything that helps, helps. So go. Secondly, I just ask them to think about how accommodating we have been. I gave only one example. I say how will they feel if they come to my house and I play Buddhist music the whole time they are at my house. Will they still come every single year knowing that I will be playing those music? (The music that my other aunt played were not those commercial Christmas songs. They were carefully selected prayer hymns.) Of course they are correct to say that a Christmas Party is to celebrate the birth of Christ. Then shall we just call our gathering a Family Party and not Christmas Party?
So it took a few more years for my cousins to come back. In fact, they haven't really come back to the party. Only this year, one of the three cousins came back. And already, my pioneering aunt was over-joyed. Well, never say never.
I write this down because in case I die (and hopefully go to heaven), my kids could know of the origins of this organically grown Family Party that takes place during the time of Christmas.
hashtag car plate
Kiki had mistaken this coin bank (molded as a pile of shit) as the slimy, squashy slime gooey thingy that she had seen an older girl play with. (I don't fancy that slimy thing but as a kid, she does). She was rooting for Lucky Draw #19 and was a tad disappointed that she didn't get it. But I got it instead.
It was also my uncle's BD.
my cousin gave me the recipe to make the cookies she's made.
buttery ones and coffee flavoured
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