I feel so much better these two days. I managed to stay up to twelve and get up at seven to do some work. The sun wasn't out as early this morning but the day became sunny again by about 9 am. Bonita was out early to go to the naturalpath to check if her new gluten free diet is helping with Crohn's disease. She has totally gone away from rice and wheat. She is also not on any diary products or coffee. This helps me too because I get to eat less carbohydrates. Then we went shopping when she came home. You should see the people in the mall. The parking lot was full to the brim. There was hardly a spot. Mind you it is Tuesday. About seven days to Christmas! I will be flying in the air when Christmas comes.Wonder what it will be like on board MAS. Will I meet Santa or catch a glimpse of his sleigh? I should be looking out for the red spot in the sky then. I must ask for a window seat just so I can see Rudolph. I hope MAS will serve
Turkey on board the flight. Why the turkey? There are many traditions to follow during the Christmas season, just like we do for Chinese New Year. Most families will serve turkey at dinner and not all will have the turkey. Some will have ham, goose or duck. In fact according to what I found out, in the past, boar's head and fattened goose were served at the table in most homes in England until the American shipped their turkeys there. The British liked the taste of the meat and turkeys have since been used for this festive season.
What about the Christmas tree? Last year, we didn't want to put up the tree because mum was ill. But we did in the end with the tree in the middle of the hall. This year, the tree will not be put up. The house will be quiet. All the actions will take place at Richard's. I will be in mid air. I just want to remember Christmas of 2006 this year and have it in mid air. The tree signifies life. A life born to save the rest of the world from condemnation if anyone so choose to believe this child was born for this purpose. There is no compulsion to believe but a persuasion to reveal this great love from God.
As I walked into the mall, many good memories returned. I remember how Leng, Shin Miin and I walked to Market mall to save up on bus fares during the winter after class. It was a rare treat to be able to go together. Most of the time we would do our grocery across from Patrician Village or at Brentwood mall after classes. So Market Mall was a big thing for us. The mall is now renovated. The food court is the same with new stalls. New stores are in the mall too. But it is still so busy.
I had dinner with Bonita's friend, June at Swiss Chalet. This time I was wiser, I ordered the quarter chicken with a caesar salad instead of half chicken. The dinner was great. Juner is such a wonderful lady. She also gave me a Christmas present. I am totally embarrassed here because everyone who met me, gave me a present. Ron and Leila bought me two gifts and Ronelle too.
It is tradition in Bonita's family to give two gifts to every member of the family. One from the family and one from Santa. I have since adopted this tradition. Another tradition that Bonita has will be to give every family member a new set of underwear. I got mine sitting under the Christmas tree ..ahhaha.
Bonita also brings out the nativity set for the season. I have one at home under the bed somewhere. I must go find it when I get back. Everywhere the spirit of Christmas is in the air. It is not about party but about Jesus. Parents rushing to buy the gifts while on sale. The sales are big time reductions and making the gifts more difficult to buy because now they all seem so affordable. Everyone is giving to everyone and wishing everyone Merry Christmas! It is this spirit of giving that I truly enjoy. People don't give because they must. But they do it because this is what Christmas is all about. About God giving us this gift.But how do we choose the gift we want to give? I have my own method. Because I have been away for a few years, I have to ask Bonita what this person really likes to buy the right gift. I have always had Christmas gifts that I don't really like but I cannot tell them I don't really like. Yesterday at Ellen's show, she was just mentioning that Christmas is a time of the year when you have to pretend you like certain gifts when you actually don't. I have always been very mindful how to give the right gift because I just don't want to be caught in that spirit that I must give so I just give anything. Do you think about the person you are buying for? Do you think about what this person will like? If you do know, then you know this person very well. But if you don't, then may be the best gift you can give this person is the time to know this person well enough to buy the gift next Christmas. How about that?
I have gifts of perfumes on teachers day, sometimes a few red ink pens and even candles.
But students don't know I am allergic to scents. So I will go to the class and tell them. Why waste their money? So no scents please. I really think the students who gave me the red pens thought about me, albeit very generically, but still they remember I will need them to mark my papers. These ones are special. Then there are the rare one who will send me a cd with songs or a card that told me I fight on for cancer. So it is not how much the gift costs but how much you thought of the person during this festive season that matters.This year, my gifts for my loved ones are going to be special. Nothing much this year. But all that I bought with I thought about them in my travels. Some gifts, I chose with Bonita. Some will be made. I don't know yet. I am going to make some Christmas ornaments for my family. I hope to continue this tradition of giving hand made christmas ornaments as a mark of a new Christmas experience with all of them as we enter 2008.
Soon the room will be filled with the spell of Christmas. Bonita will be roasting the turkey
and I will get to eat the pope's nose when it is done. I helped with the preparation and as soon as the turkey was done, I was given my favourite part of the turkey. I waited and then about five, Janice (in yellow jacket) came with her granddaughter, Jordan. Jordan was very shy. She was cool towards me but when it was time to open up her presents, she got all excited. She liked the lip gel I gave her and later that evening we played mother cat and baby cat. of course I am the mother cat. She wanted me to meow around the living room but I told her we should watch Tree house and the rest was history. But we did sit where we were and meow away our little conversations. Margaret sat beside Janice. She is the lady in pink sweater. She re knitted that herself. Bonita is right behind Jordan. She was wearing the Giordano tshirt I got her eons ago and in this cold weather, she is in short sleeves. But she wore her socks. Right at the head of the table is Arlyne. She came from work and gave us some flowers. The dinner was delicious and the turkey wow!The next day we went to Bow Island to see Auntie Kay (Bonita's mum).
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