blessed christmas

i know there is no direct relation between this cherry and christmas but it reminds me of the christmas decoration that we used to put up at home. correction. that I used to put up back home

.

christmas used to be filled with endless thanksgiving, church parties and prayer meets, Christmas trees and decorations, Christmas-themed movies, and episodes of tv series; presents that xiu and i would make/bake on our own for friends. (remember the year where we sewed stuffed animals using old socks? you, ana and teddy stayed over at my place?) 

as i got older, dad made it a point to go on holidays every christmas...be it Penang or Phuket. not all of them were fun. i remembered one that almost...tested the institution of faith, family and marriage...and almost everything that Christmas represents. anyway. that was then. 

this year, i got to spend it with an extended family - ana's aunt. strangers became my only connection to a very distant Christmas.

and though turkey was replaced by steamboat, egg nogs replaced by wine, candy stick by ciggies, i will remember this christmas for a long long time...

the true meaning of Christmas is so lost in the world today. it is no longer about the birth of Christ but of presents, over-eating, christmas carols, Santa...and in Australia, HUGE boxing day sales... i am not preaching nor am i against the festivities and the bonding that we could definitely use in the name of Christmas... i just realised how far back has the leading character, the true focus of Christmas has been pushed behind. Does anyone remember that Christmas is about the birth of Christ? because i certainly have....for a second there...

i promise to remember to go to church christmas next year.