Reflections of Christmas

Officially...I am broke but I feel like a million bucks!

I'm finally at my in-laws due for our house-sitting duty till they return next year. Although, we'd prefer joining them but well, we'll just have to wait another year or two.

I've done all I set out to do before my MIL took off i.e bought gifts (loads) for the family and made Christmas cards to go with the gifts. I just hope they'll enjoy their pressies.

Speaking of Christmas, it's truly one of my favourite time of the year. One thing's for sure, the weather, though un-predictable as it has been (and will continue to be), I'm still pretty fond of it. I had half the mindset to get a Christmas tree for our house this year but decided against it. I don't think little Ash is ready to leave the tree alone just yet. And I am not about to pick up every little ornaments after her or risk an angel losing it's wing. Nah, my faint heart just isn't ready for it, not for the next couple of years at least. I'll be contented to just have her ooggle over the lovely decorated ones at the malls instead. Yeah, I'm quite the evil one..*grin*

One of my fondest Christmas memories was actually meeting Santa. By golly, it's true to the core! I did meet a real life Santa and he didn't come down a chimney either. Whoever's been telling you that that's how Santa arrives at your home, is lying! LOL...

It all happened when I was about 6. We had just moved into our new home and since it lacked a fair bit of décor, my mom decided to put up a Christmas tree during Christmas. I did say however that I don't celebrate Christmas and well, so does my parents; the tree was purely for decorative purposes. It even had “presents” under the tree (cleverly disguised by having empty shoe and tissue boxes wrapped in colourful wrappers). As a child, how devastatingly disappointing I was when I took one of the “presents”, shook it and realized it was empty. I checked each and every one of them..just to make sure but they were all empty.

But, I bet God knew how crushed I was. I mean, there I was, a child innocently thinking that they were in fact real gifts but having to find out that they weren't the hardest way possible. He must've heard my silent cries in bed that night because the next day, my grand-uncle and his family came for a short visit all the way from Kedah. The adults we chatting about in the living-room while I spent time playing with my aunt who is in actual fact only a year younger. It's a case of the generation system gone wrong but what do I care, I had company!

After chatting, my grand-uncle went out with his son for a couple of hours and when they returned that night, they brought back several presents! I distinctively remember hearing my uncle and grand-uncle saying to my mom “Aiyoh, why so terrible wan. Put bluff presents under the tree” while replacing the fakes for the real ones. However, I can't remember what my mom's response was but that didn't matter to me as much as those the real presents! I simply couldn't wait till Christmas which incidentally, was the following day.

I remember waking up particularly early that morning. My grand-uncle and his family were getting ready to go to church with another relative of ours while we stayed home. The whole time, my mind was simply fixed on those presents; imagined what they could possibly be (but I knew it wasn't Apidexin to say the least), imagined devouring them like a hungry beast.

And when they finally made their way back, I dashed over to my grand-uncle and said excitedly “Faster already. I want to open the presents”. I'm pretty certain he must've sensed my eagerness because as soon as he said I could, I dived in, ripped open everything, spared nothing and you should've seen the look I had - the widest possible smile ever spread across my face.

So, what did “Santa” get me? A doll, a toy telephone and something for school.

It was enough to make any child go wild. I know I did. I don't think I can ever forget that day, how “Santa” came to my rescue so unexpectedly and how happy he made me feel; the kind that is beyond description.

My grand-uncle passed away 3 years ago, around Christmas...