christmas

Christmas day is a time to be selfless, no matter how silly i really feel inside.

A day to embody silliness so that 14-year-old girls can put aside their self-consciousness too--and win that prize for best costume!

Christmas is a time for hearty, homemade meals. Because homemade turkey is a lot better than store-bought, or worse still, turkey roll. But any meal with loved ones is delicious anyhow.

Christmas is a time to pretend that it's cold.

And to wear funny hats that girlfriends bought for you, because it's all excused at Christmas.

And Christmastime is also when my birthday comes along and everything is celebrated together conveniently. I used to hate that my birthday gets lumped together with Christmas and New Year's, but this year I appreciated that everyone around the world was in merrymaking mode, and sales are everywhere, and gift sets are aplenty, and everybody gets presents when we have my birthday party.

 

And Christmas is also the time of camps, of kids' camp and youth camp. Of holding small hands, and missing them even when January comes along.

I've had a very busy December, so busy that my own work's gotten sidelined. But these are the important things in life.

Things we don't try to remember, that we will miss the most:

 Making handprints on ET.

 Being ignored by her.

 ET's paws. Any cat owner will be able to relate to you how precious a paw is. The first time I touched ET's baby paws, I was shocked at how soft they were.

 Putting a smile on her face.

And as for Christmas, the same rule of memory applies: 

 The things about December that I remember more than anything, that aren't necessarily events: My mother's homemade turkey and all the vegetables that go in, giant wings, a terribly scavenged carcass, and the frozen turkey thawing in the fridge, crowding out jam jars and belachan and rolling around in the car in an icy ball in a Cold Storage plastic bag.

My father playing host and getting drinks iced, putting on dramatic instrumental music and turning on the little lamps in the corners of the house. The few minutes before guests are timed to arrive are exciting. We are all laying tables, perching on sofa arms, and checking our phones for guests' messages. We do this as a family, and it doesn't really matter who the guests are. Our yearly Christmas project is to open our home.

There would be no everyday without the small things.

Christmas at Uncle Earnest's is always something to look forward to.This year's dinner was a crispy sizzling roast pork belly with peanut mustard, antipasto with homemade Yorkshire pudding, and this trifle with ruby port drizzled on top.

And the earl grey latte that changed my mind about earl grey forever.

Opening presents--

and being absorbed by presents.

My mother got a travel kit to go to Bintan with--everything but the ferry ticket.

Homemade vanilla sugar.

Playmobil nativity scene.

And lastly, badges that I made for sss camp. Didn't realise it but my birds look like Motorola logos. :/

It's getting colder, all the better for counting down the last few days of the year with.



May your Christmas weekend be as tranquil as this bathtub,

as traditional as girls in pastel poufs,

as surprising as this pair of Mykitas I found at work today,

and as restful as this well-dressed pup.

It has been a good year! Go hug somebody today.