And of course an excuse to spend quality time with friends and family! *laughs*
In contrast to most other families, our family is not very big on exchanging presents. Of course there are times when we do (in fact, we get our mums a present every year!) but it is not mandatory. Not even for the kids, who will usually get gifts from friends and grandparents instead (hubby says Christmas is Jesus' birthday, not theirs. If anything, the gifts should be going to Jesus!).
Instead, here are 5 things that we do as a family every year no matter what.
OUR FIVE FAMILY CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS
1) Celebrating Christmas in His House
Every year without fail we will be in City Harvest Church.
Every year it is always the same: we'll be enjoying candlelight services one weekend and watching an awesome drama performance by our Drama Ministry the following weekend. It was a great time of remembering God's goodness and how He sent His Son to be born as the Saviour of the whole world.
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| Candlelight Service in 2011 |
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| Candlelight Service in 2014 |
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| One of our Christmas Services, with the stage all decked out for the drama performance |
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| Hubby and I at a Christmas Service in 2013, just days before Baby Boy was born =) |
It is very ironic but as I am typing this I'm realising that this year will be the first time that we'll be missing both the candlelight services AND the Christmas services because we will be in Tokyo! How can this be?!?! *gasp*
Hopefully we will not miss the one next year... *sigh*
2) Annual Christmas Dinners with Family
We don't celebrate Thanksgiving here in Singapore but we do have "Thanksgiving" dinners where we gather at my mum's house and eat "big fish big meat" (direct translation from the Chinese Idiom).
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| Christmas dinner in 2011 |
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| Christmas Dinner in 2013 |
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| Christmas dinner in 2014 |
Although the hubby's family does not celebrate Christmas, we do use it as an excuse to go out for lavish buffet dinners together! =)
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| Having our Christmas dinner at Orchard Hotel |
The best thing about being with family is that you can always be yourself. You can dress in the ugliest pajamas, sit like a gangster, laugh like a hyena and talk with your mouth full of roast chicken, and no one will ever judge you. I love getting together with my family, and it is a Christmas tradition that I hope will be carried on forever! =)
3) Annual Christmas Gatherings with Friends
Christmas is also the time for themed parties with friends.
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| Hats Christmas party in 2010 |
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| Bows and Ties Christmas party in 2011 |
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| Starry Starry Night Christmas party in 2012 |
Christmas is also time for mandated meet-ups and occasionally gift exchanges whenever we feel like it (which is very seldom unfortunately! Ah well...).
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| With Baby Boy's buddy and our friends |
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| Christmas with the BFFs in 2011 |
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| Christmas with the BFFs in 2012 |
Throughout pregnancy and delivery, we were there for each other. Thank you for being our friends and for sticking with us through thick and thin. You know I love you guys! =)
4) Photo-taking with Christmas Decorations
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| Christmas Express in Marina Bay Sands in 2013, right before I gave birth to my boy |
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| Left: With the Christmas tree at Ion; Right: With a gnome in Marina Square |
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| Baby Boy's first Christmas (because technically he was born 2 days after Christmas so he didn't get to celebrate Christmas in the year that he was born!) |
The Christmas decorations are always so warm, colourful and bright! Appreciate the effort that everyone puts in to make the malls and even offices so beautiful and fun! How can you resist taking pictures with them?
5) Celebrate Birthdays
And last but definitely not least, Christmas is a time for celebrating birthdays! Especially the birth of my Baby Boy!
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| My Christmas present in 2013 |
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| Baby Boy's cloud-themed first birthday at Rochester House |
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| Baby Boy loves it when everyone sings "Happy Birthday" to him! |
We also celebrate my mum's birthday, which incidentally is YESTERDAY!
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| Celebrating my mum's birthday in 2011 at Unique Seafood |
Happy Birthday Mummy! May you always be happy and full of faith! We love you! =)
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Before I end, I'd like to say to all our lovely readers, family and friends...
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| MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR! =) Love, all of us at MadPsychMum |
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Next up on the blog train is Angie, the Mommy who blogs at Life's Tiny Miracles. December is Angie's favourite month; it's a time of counting blessings and blessings others in return. In her blog, she and her hubby write about the beautiful and trying moments of everyday life and of parenting.
This post is part of a blog train hosted by Prayerfull Mum.
Click to read more about how different families celebrate Christmas!
Click to read more about how different families celebrate Christmas!
P.S: This Christmas, we will also be praying for our friends whose son was recently diagnosed with cancer. Although we are heartbroken to hear this, we will continue to pray and believe that he will be healed in Jesus' name! If you can, please do join us in prayer for him and his family. Thank you! =)
